In short from July 26, 2010 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New Hires

The Royal River Conservation Trust and the town of Yarmouth recently hired Kyle Warren as stewardship coordinator. Previously, Warren was an environmental specialist at TRC Cos. Inc. in Augusta.

Martin’s Point Health Care in Portland recently hired Stu Scheller as vice president, sales, marketing and business development; Larry Henry as vice president, Medicare; and Richard White as general manager, employer and provider partnerships. Previously, Scheller worked at The Scheller Bradford Group in Cincinnati; Henry was a senior director at AARP in Washington, D.C.; and White worked at Cigna Healthcare New England in Portland.

South Portland-based affordable housing firm Preservation Management Inc. recently hired David Flanagan as CEO. Previously, Flanagan was president and CEO of Central Maine Power Co.

The Portland Museum of Art recently hired Annelise Conway as senior major gifts and planned giving officer and William Cary as director of member services.

Portland Radio Group, a regional division of Saga Communications Inc. in Portland, recently hired Denise Lovett as business manager.

Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington recently hired Linda Pooler as manager of the health information management department. Previously, Pooler worked for Inland Hospital in Waterville. Franklin Memorial Hospital also recently hired Darren Roundy as a physical therapist.

Insurance Automation Group, a provider of advanced technology solutions and services based in Westbrook, recently hired Stacy Cutbirth as senior business analyst and product specialist for its iAutomate: Erlon Surety software.

The Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce recently hired Karen Brace as membership services manager. Previously, Brace was executive director of the Ski Maine Association.

U.S. Cellular recently hired Amanda Demers as sales manager at the company’s Waterville retail store, Aaron Ouellette as store manager for the company’s Auburn and South Paris locations, and Lynn Earnest as store manager for the company’s Westbrook, Forest Avenue in Portland and Topsham locations.

iBec Creative, a provider of website and traditional design services in Portland, recently hired Rob Stevens as an interactive assistant.

Catholic Charities Maine recently hired Leora Souliere as human resources administrator; Sarah Davis as refugee and immigration services time bank coordinator; and William Adkisson, Caroline Schnell and Rachel Cole as support and recovery services case managers.

Macdonald Page & Co., a certified public accounting firm in Augusta, recently hired Emily Baron as a staff accountant.

Bernstein Shur, a multi-service law firm with offices in Maine and New Hampshire, recently hired Phil Saucier as a part of the municipal and regulatory practice group. Previously, Saucier served as the senior policy and legal advisor of health policy for Gov. John Baldacci.

Legacy Publishing Co., a producer and publisher of personal development products based in Westbrook, recently hired Ryan Wing as operations manager for all three of the company’s offices in Westbrook, Auburn and Brunswick. Previously, Wing worked as network administrator and operations manager at Yankee Microwave in Harrison.

Microptix Technologies, a specialty instrument company based in Wilton, recently hired Jean-Claude Christeler as vice president of business development. Previously, Christeler worked for MKS in Massachusetts.

MaineGeneral Orthopedics recently hired David Urquia, an orthopedic surgeon, as a member of the center’s medical staff. Previously, Urquia practiced at the West End Orthopedic Clinic in Mechanicsville, Va.

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England recently hired Megan Hannan as public affairs director for Maine. Previously, Hannan worked for the American Cancer Society as director of government relations and director of communications and public issues.

The Chewonki Foundation, a nationally recognized environmental education foundation, recently hired Willard Morgan as the foundation’s new president. Previously, Morgan served as head of the Chewonki Semester School.

Penobscot Community Health Care in Bangor recently hired Jeremy Jones as a full-time staff dentist.

PROMOTIONS

Microptix Technologies, a specialty instrument company based in Wilton, recently promoted Joseph Johnson to vice president of technology. Previously, Johnson was director of research and development for Microptix.

G.M. Pollack & Sons, a jewelry chain based in Scarborough, recently promoted Amanda Gendreau to manager of the Biddeford store, Bonnie Smith to manager of the Windham store and Diane Peacock to manager of the Lewiston Mall store.

Insurance Automation Group, a provider of advanced technology services based in Westbrook, recently promoted Greg Marsters to product manager.

PeoplesChoice Credit Union, serving York and Cumberland counties, recently promoted Michelle Lavigne to assistant vice president.

Quarry Hill Retirement Community in Camden recently promoted Nina Cunningham to assisted living manager.

Lynch Logistics, a Bangor-based moving and storage company, recently promoted Aaron Huotari to vice president managing Central Maine Transport and Freight Central and Michael Carroll to vice president managing Central Maine Moving and Storage, Consolidated Warehouse Co. and Records Management Center.

HCP Computers and Business Solutions in Carmel, recently promoted Geoff Dapice to technical manager.

Town & Country Federal Credit Union recently promoted Heather Savage to manager and Crystal Cormier to assistant manager of its Saco branch.

Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems recently promoted Glenn Martin to vice president and general counsel. Martin previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney.

Woodfords Family Services, a nonprofit agency based in Westbrook that provides support to individuals with special needs and their families, recently promoted Paul Nau to executive director.

APPOINTMENTS

The Maine Hospital Association recently appointed David Proffitt, CEO of The Acadia Hospital in Bangor, as chair of the Mental Health Council’s board of directors.

The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, a statewide provider of immigration legal assistance for low-income residents, recently elected six new members to its board of directors: Mama Oye Anoff Ntow, a case manager for Providence Service Corp. of Maine and Possibilities Counseling Service; Jennifer Archer, an attorney with Kelly, Remmel & Zimmerman in Portland; Catherine Buffum, a vice president in commercial lending at TD Bank in Portland; Warren Evans, a CPA with Baker Newman Noyes in Portland; Peter Landis, a founding partner of Landis Arn & Jaynes in Portland; and Shafaat Qazi, whose family was represented by an Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project attorney.

Deborah Avasthi was recently appointed president of the Maine Better Transportation Association, a statewide member organization representing 700 Maine businesses. Also elected were Randy Mace of Anderson Equipment in Cumberland as vice president; Douglas Hermann of Wyman & Simpson in Richmond as second vice president; and Thomas Gorrill of Gorrill-Palmer Consulting Engineers in Gorham as secretary-treasurer.

The Maine Association of Community Banks recently elected James Conlon, president of Bangor Savings Bank, as association chairman.

Maine Real Estate & Development Association, a statewide organization of commercial real estate owners, recently appointed Thomas Lea as president. Lea is also senior vice president and group manager of commercial real estate at Maine Bank and Trust. MEREDA Board of Directors also appointed the following officers for the 2010/2011 year: Thomas Lea of Maine Bank & Trust, president; Anne Littlefield of Dead River Properties, vice president; Drew Sigfridson of The Boulos Co., vice president; William Shanahan of Northern New England Housing Investment Fund, treasurer; James Otis of Otis | Atwell, assistant treasurer; and Dennis Keeler of Pierce Atwood, secretary.

COMPANY NEWS

The Portland Harbor Museum recently merged with Maine Maritime Museum in Bath.

Bangor Savings Bank recently announced that for its 2010 fiscal year, which ended March 31, the company earned net income of $16,889,000, a 2.2% increase over last year. The bank’s assets grew to $2.32 billion, a 2.6% increase over last year.

Dana Totman, president of Avesta Housing in Portland, has been selected to participate in the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence in Community Development program in collaboration with Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

The Portland Water District board of trustees contributed $20,000 to the Home Plumbing Assistance Program, administered by the People’s Regional Opportunity Program, to help low-income residents repair leaks and install water-saving devices.

Camden National Corp. recently announced that its board of directors declared a $0.25 per share dividend payable on July 30 for shareholders of record on July 16.

Good Shepherd Food-Bank’s main warehouse in Auburn recently announced the completed installation of a state-of-the-art inbound processing system, designed to more safely and efficiently inspect, sort and store food acquired for distribution.

U.S. Cellular recently completed construction of a cell site in Bucksport to increase coverage in the towns of Verona and Bucksport, along Routes 1, 15, 46 and 174.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently announced investments to upgrade and expand the following Maine airports: Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport, $770,615 to construct a runway safety area for runway 22; Sugarloaf Regional Airport, $325,850 to construct a new aircraft parking apron; Princeton Municipal Airport, $95,000 to update the airport master plan study; Millinocket Municipal Airport, $90,820 for off-airport obstruction removal; Northern Maine Regional Airport at Presque Isle, $23,987 to rehabilitate an aircraft parking apron, both runways and four taxiways; and Pittsfield Municipal Airport, $24,990 to design a fence installation and to update the airport master plan study.

Portland technology company Mowbi LLC has released its mobile commerce platform, Mowbi, after months of development. The platform allows retailers and other companies to manage transactions, marketing and other business tasks on mobile devices.

National Distributors, a beverage distribution company in South Portland, recently donated a handicap-accessible van to Alpha One, a center of independent living in South Portland.

The Insurance Automation Group, a Workgroup company, recently announced it has moved to 207 Larrabee Road in Westbrook.

Jennifer Andrews, marketing manager and associate at Portland-based engineering firm Woodard & Curran, recently earned the Certified Professional Services Marketer designation from the Society for Marketing Professional Services, an organization of marketing professionals in the engineering, architectural and construction industries.

The Maine State Library has been awarded more than $1.36 million in federal recovery act funds to increase the number of broadband workstations and upgrade public computers at 107 public libraries, add 11 video conferencing regional hubs and three mobile computer labs, enhance training opportunities for librarians and residents and ensure that vulnerable groups such as the unemployed and the elderly are able to access assistance to broadband technologies.

Blacksmiths Winery in South Casco recently released its draft cider, Fatty Bampkins, on July 3 at Brian Boru in Portland.

W. Gregory Feero, a family medicine physician and genetics specialist at Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine in Fairfield, recently co-authored the lead article in a series on genetics and genomics for the New England Journal of Medicine that he will also co-edit.

Energy Associates, a 60-person engineering company headquartered in Portland, was recently acquired by Edmonton, Alberta-based Stantec.

Skowhegan Financial Services recently announced it is now offering investment and insurance products, through PRIMEVEST Financial Services, a broker-dealer.

The SunriseGuide, a Maine-based guide to healthy and sustainable living, recently announced it is expanding its coverage from southern Maine to also include the midcoast from Bath to Belfast.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded $1,480,820 to the following housing programs through its Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance grant program: Community Housing of Maine, $597,335; Kennebec Behavioral Health, $352,170; and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, $531,489.

Inlution Inc., an integrated technology solutions firm, recently announced it is now open for business in Easton.

The Maine Innkeepers Association’s Hospitality for Habitat recently raised a total of $21,500 for Habitat for Humanity.

The Maine Medical Center Cancer Institute Breast Care Center in Portland recently received a full, three-year accreditation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, administered by the American College of Surgeons.

Fisher & Phillips, a labor and employment law firm in Portland, recently announced the opening of an office in Washington, D.C., effective July 1.

The University of New England College of Pharmacy in Portland recently received notification of the granting of candidate status for its doctor of pharmacy program from the Accreditation Council on Pharmacy Education.

The Maine Cancer Foundation recently announced that it has awarded $649,140 to the following cancer research projects in Maine: Maine Medical Center Research Institute, $243,640; The Jackson Laboratory, $247,500; the University of Maine, $80,000; and the Maine Center for Cancer Medicine, $78,000.

Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor recently announced it is now offering a one-semester advanced certificate in pipe fitting to begin this fall. The advanced certificate will be offered to welders with an associate’s degree in welding or those who have extensive welding experience.

The Northeast Charter & Tour bus company in Lewiston recently announced that it has agreed to a contract with Naval Sea Systems Command to provide transportation for military troops from the barracks at the Brunswick Naval Air Station to Bath Iron Works.

Phil Hunt, an attorney at Perkins Thompson in Portland, recently launched a blog, www.perkinsthompson.com, on Maine estate planning and elder law.

Acadia Partners in Winter Harbor, a nonprofit organization, recently announced it is changing its name to the Schoodic Education and Research Center Institute.

The U.S. Department of Labor recently awarded Goodwill Industries of Northern New England $412,118 and LearningWorks $400,400 to help provide education and training to young people. Additionally, CARF International, an independent, nonprofit accrediting body, recently announced that Goodwill Industries of Northern New England in Portland has been accredited for a period of three years for its community service, employment service, brain injury and residential rehabilitation programs.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently awarded John F. Murphy Homes Inc. in Auburn a $648,000 investment for the construction of a new group home in the Lewiston/Auburn area.

ACCOLADES

Innovation Partners International, a consulting firm in Portland, was recently named to the WorldBlu List of Democratic Workplaces 2010, sponsored by WorldBlu, a nonprofit company specializing in organizational democracy.

The Shalom House Inc. in Portland recently announced the renaming of its Clark Street Group Home to Blanchard House in honor of Edward Blanchard’s 25th anniversary as clinical director.

MaineGeneral Medical Center was recently awarded with a community award from MSAD 49, serving students from Albion, Benton, Clinton and Fairfield, for its leadership role in last fall’s school flu vaccination program.

The Healthy Community Coalition recently presented 23 Greater Franklin County businesses with Work Healthy! awards for their efforts in promoting good health for their employees. Recipients included: Verso Paper; Franklin Community Health Network; Androscoggin Bank; Crayon Country Preschool; Notify MD; Western Maine Community Action; United Way of Tri Valley Area; Star Barn B&B; Abused Women’s Advocacy Program; Community Concepts; Bangor Savings Bank; Franklin Savings Bank; Work First; LEAP; University of Maine at Farmington; TD Bank; Lewiston Sun Journal; Tri-County Mental Health Services; Camden National Bank; Mt. Blue Regional School District; Shiretown Insurance; HealthQuest; and Dr. Heer Family Dentistry.

Departures, the lifestyle and travel magazine published by American Express Publishing, features the Camden Harbour Inn as the trendy place to stay in Maine in, “What to Pack: Camden, Maine,” in its July/August issue. The Technology Association of Maine recently announced the winners for the 2010 Maine Technology Awards. The Governor’s Award for Technology Company of the Year went to Tilson Technology Management; the Gazelle Company of the Year award went to CashStar; the CxO of the Year award went to Martin Grimnes of Harbor Technologies; the New Technology of the Year award went to Ocean Renewable Power Co.; the Technology Innovator of the Year award went to Soren Hansen of Sea & Reef Aquaculture; the Best of the Web Awards: Corporate Image went to Aurora Photos; the Best of the Web Awards: Arts and Entertainment went to FotoVisura; the Best of the Web Awards: Non-Profit went to Kevin Brooks Web Design and Development; the Best of the Web Awards: E-Commerce went to Turtle Love Co.

FILIAS Advertising, headquartered in York, was recently awarded a 2010 Gold Lamplighter Award for its advertising and marketing campaign for the New Hampshire Medical & Surgical Weight Loss Center.

The Maine Affordable Housing Coalition recently received the Housing Partner of the Year Award from USDA Rural Development in recognition of its dedication and efforts to create and preserve affordable housing in Maine.

The Maine Credit Union League recently honored Hugh Keene, board of directors chair for Community Credit Union; Ken Acker, president of TruChoice Federal Credit Union; Tammy Creswell, vice president of real estate lending for Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union; Rick Lachance, president of Maine Education Credit Union; Dan Emery, marketing specialist at Maine State Credit Union; and Joe Gervais, vice president at University Credit Union for their contributions to the success of Maine’s credit unions.

Jeffrey Thomson, associate professor of creative writing at University of Maine Farmington, was recently honored by University of Maine at Farmington and the University of Maine System as UMF’s 2010-2011 Trustee Professor.

The Katahdin Area Council, Boy Scouts of America recently awarded Nickerson & O’Day its 2010 Business and Industry Award for its work in the Greater Bangor area with charitable and nonprofit causes, scholarship establishment and extensive work with youth education, leadership and sports programs.

The Maine Center for Creativity recently awarded Gregory Boulos its Creative Leadership Award for his two years of service as president of the Maine Center for Creativity Board of Directors. Pamela Plumb was awarded the Creative Civic Leader Award for her four years of service as chair of the governance committee.

SPOTLIGHT

Colby College in Waterville exceeded its $370 million capital campaign goal June 30, raising a total of $376 million in its Reaching the World Campaign, according to a press release from the school. The campaign, begun in 2005, was mounted to support financial aid, facilities and the academic experience.

The campaign’s capstone gift, $5 million from the Portland-based Harold Alfond Foundation, will fund a major portion of a museum expansion to house the Lunder Collection. In 2007, Colby announced that it would receive a collection of American art from Peter and Paula Lunder.

The new gallery space is part of a $15 million, 26,000-square-foot expansion scheduled to break ground in mid-2011 and scheduled for completion in 2013.