In short from June 13, 2011 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New Hires

Norton Financial in Cumberland, a division of Norton Insurance and Financial, recently hired Nancy Doble to lead its new third party administrator services division.

HeadInvest, an investment firm in Portland, recently hired Steve Poulos as vice president and portfolio manager.

Spurwink Services, a behavioral health provider in Portland, recently hired Kerry Corthell as development coordinator.

The VIA Agency, an advertising firm in Portland, recently hired Dara Moss as associate creative director and John Piscitelli as group strategy director.

The Center for Grieving Children in Portland recently hired Elyse Tipton as development director. Previously, Tipton was communications director for Maine Audubon.

Wright-Ryan Construction Inc. in Portland recently hired Ben Jamo as commercial field superintendent, Patrick Skall as commercial assistant project manager, Tyson Abbott as foreman in commercial and residential construction and Rodney Collard as commercial project engineer.

Brown and Meyers, a records management and e-transcription firm in Portland, recently hired David Young as regional sales manager.

Monroe Infrared Technology, an infrared company in Kennebunk, recently hired Christopher Casey as CEO. Previously, Casey was vice president of MESCA Transport Services.

York County Community College in Wells recently hired Dana Petersen as manager of facilities, Jane Kimball Foley as Accelerate Me college coordinator, Bob Lauzon as information specialist technology support and Sam Ellis as business manager.

The University of New England in Biddeford, recently hired Dora Anne Mills as vice president for clinical affairs. Previously, Mills was director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Bedard Pharmacy in Lewiston recently hired pharmacist Christopher Nadeau.

Jerry Chase’s Blind Time, a window treatment company in Farmingdale, recently hired interior designer Lori LaRochelle for the mid-coast region and interior designer Pamela Burgess for the southern Maine region.

Winxnet, a Portland-based IT services provider, recently hired Josh Poisson as business coordinator and network technical specialist.

Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty in Kennebunk recently hired Earl Adams as a real estate broker serving the York County market.

Northeast Bank in Lewiston recently hired Heidi Jacques as vice president and director of human resources. Previously, Jacques was senior human resources business partner at ING in Lewiston.

TD Insurance Inc. in Lewiston, a subsidiary of TD Bank, recently hired Donna Hall as an account manager in employee benefits.

Promotions

Spurwink Services, a behavioral health provider in Portland, recently promoted Gretchen Drown to development associate.

The VIA Agency, an advertising firm in Portland, recently promoted Teddy Stoecklein from creative director to group creative director.

TD Bank in Portland recently promoted Catherine Buffum to commercial loan officer III.

Putney Inc., a pet pharmaceutical company in Portland, recently promoted Anthony Lucas to vice president of product development.

Norway Savings Bank recently promoted Patricia Weigel to president. Previously, Weigel was executive vice president, commercial and retail banking.

Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems recently promoted Daniel Coffey to president and CEO of The Acadia Hospital in Bangor. Previously, Coffey was executive vice president, treasurer and chief financial officer of EMHS.

Downeast Energy in Brunswick recently promoted Mark Anderson to safety director, Mike Leslie to general manager of its Waterville office and Steve Garland as energy adviser at its Windham office. Previously, Anderson was delivery/transport manager and Leslie was general manager of its Lisbon Falls office.

Woodard & Curran, an engineering firm in Portland, recently promoted the following employees: Amy Wallace to project engineer 1; David Bouffard to project engineer 2; Denise Cameron to project manager 1; Gillian Wood to project engineer 2; Joshua Ayers to engineer 3; Karen Moore to project scientist 1; Michael Langelier to project engineer 1; Nicholas Champagne to engineer 2; Peter Martin to project engineer 2; Robert Polys to engineer 3; Scott Boone to project technical specialist 2; Scott Hawk to senior project engineer; and Shawn Huber to engineer 2.

The First Bancorp recently promoted Monique McRae to branch manager of its Wiscasset branch and Nicci Doray to Wiscasset branch supervisor.

Quarry Hill Retirement Community in Camden recently promoted Mary Sargent to administrator of the Anderson Inn.

Bates College recently promoted from associate professors to full professors: Francesco Duina, department of sociology; Baltasar Fra-Molinero, department of Romance languages and literatures; Kirk Read, department of Romance languages and literatures; and Katalin Vecsey, department of theater and rhetoric.

Appointments

The Policy Committee of the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System recently elected the following officers: Nathan Poore, Falmouth town manager, as chair and James Gailey, South Portland city manager, as vice chair.

Norway Bancorp in Norway recently appointed David Dow, an attorney at Dow’s Law Office in Norway, and Patricia Weigel, president of Norway Savings Bank, to its board of directors. Norway also elected Nancy White and William White, former owners of the Sudbury Inn in Bethel, as new corporators.

Gov. Paul LePage recently nominated Gregory Campbell to serve as a judge on the Maine District Court, Daniel Wathen to serve as a member of the Maine Turnpike Authority Board, and George Gervais as commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development.

The University of New England College of Arts and Sciences in Biddeford recently named Susan McHugh, associate professor of English, the 2011-12 Ludcke Chair.

Spotlight

The University of Maine at Fort Kent was recently awarded a $500,000 federal stimulus grant by the state Department of Conservation to convert its largest residence hall, The Lodge, and its athletics complex, Sports Center, to a biomass heating system, according to a press release from the university.

The biomass system will provide heat for 1.75 acres of floor space and is expected to save the campus nearly $1 million in heating costs in the next decade.

The total cost of the project is $858,000, which includes the $500,000 grant, the university’s cash match of $318,000 and $40,000 of in-kind labor contributions.

Company News

Chimani, a mobile app developer for the outdoors in Yarmouth, recently announced 100,395 copies of its national park apps were downloaded for free during National Park Week, April 16-24.

Camden National Corp. recently reported net income of $6.3 million for the first quarter of 2011, an increase of $1 million, or 19%, compared to the first quarter of 2010 and a slight decline compared to $6.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. Earnings per diluted share were $0.83 for the first quarter of 2011, compared to $0.69 and $0.84 for the first and fourth quarters of 2010 respectively.

Rebecca Harris of Clark Insurance in Saco recently earned the professional designation of associate in general insurance from the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters.

Harriman, an architecture and engineering design firm headquartered in Auburn, recently signed both the Architecture 2030 Challenge and the AIA 2030 Commitment, pledging its commitment to sustainable building.

Broadreach Public Relations recently moved its office from Yarmouth to 19 Commercial St. in Portland.

iBec Creative, a web design firm in Portland, recently celebrated its fifth anniversary.

LTC Financial Partners in Portland recently announced the formation of a new division called Worksite Academy to help maintain productivity with an aging work force.

Gawron Turgeon Architects, an architecture company in Scarborough, recently announced the launch of its new website, www.gawronturgeon.com, designed to better showcase its projects.

Southern Maine Community College recently held its first class at the new SMCC Midcoast Campus at the former Naval Air Station in Brunswick. The college also received a $14,000 gift from The Grainger Foundation aimed at supporting the growth in the college’s trade and technical programs and providing scholarships for students.

Mystyc New Media Inc., a website design in Portland, recently celebrated its 15th year in business.

Springborn Staffing in Portland recently announced that D. Gallant Management Associates joined its family of companies under the LDTEnterprises Corp.

Downeast Energy in Brunswick recently announced the launch of its new website, www.downeastenergy.com.

Eric Uhl, a partner at the law firm Fisher & Phillips in Portland, recently addressed current wage and hour challenges facing employers at the 16th annual Maine Human Resources Convention in Rockport.

The Maine Technology Institute recently awarded five new seed grants totaling $57,500 to the following entrepreneurs and companies across the state: Pondera Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Pownal for its endorphinate clinical trial, award: $12,500, match: $72,993; AboGen Inc. in Portland for its sample processing service for epigenetics studies, award: $12,500, match: $13,532; Encore in Eastport for its wind turbine, award: $12,500, match: $52,500; Optomistic Products Inc. in South Freeport for its Universal LightProbe business plan, award: $7,500, match: $9,375; and the Montalvo Corp. in Gorham for market research for its tension control system, award: $12,500, match: $12,646.

Savings Bank of Maine in Gardiner recently announced its name change to The Bank of Maine.

The Loyal Biscuit Co., a pet store headquartered in Rockland, recently announced the launch of its newest location in Belfast.

Maddden Beverage and Brewing Supplies, a specialty wine and beer store in Saco, recently announced it supplies a large variety of True-Brew home-brewing equipment and ingredients.

Cappy’s Bakery & Company Store in Camden recently announced it is open for the season.

Michael Swartz, general manager of Tilson Technology Management in Portland, recently graduated from Maine Development Foundation’s Leadership Maine program.

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded approximately $2.3 million in competitive grant funding to Maine communities for local airport improvements: $451,500 to the city of Bangor; $43,700 to the town of Carrabassett; $80,800 to the city of Old Town; $81,100 to the town of Lincoln; $268,500 to the city of Caribou; $461,600 to Knox County; $67,400 to the town of Norridgewock; $650,000 to the town of Bar Harbor; and $179,200 to the town of Machias.

Dress for Success Southern Maine recently announced it is launching a training program for job preparation for unemployed women with funds provided from a $2 million donation to Dress for Success Worldwide from the Walmart Foundation.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s YouthBuild program recently awarded LearningWorks in Portland a grant of $1.08 million.

The U.S. Navy recently awarded Bath Iron Works a $29.9 million contract modification for additional work on the DDG-1001 destroyer.

Black Bear Realty, the developer of the Oxford casino, recently selected Sargent Corp. of Stillwater as site contractor and Cianbro Corp. of Pittsfield as construction manager for its Oxford casino project construction.

Cool As A Moose, a specialty retail shop, recently celebrated its grand opening at 128 Maine St. in Brunswick.

Chimani, a developer of mobile applications in Yarmouth, recently announced the launch of its newest app, Chimani National Parks, a resource for visitors and fans of the National Park System.

Gritty McDuff’s, a brew pub headquartered in Portland, recently announced it is now selling Gritty’s Growlers, refillable containers of draft beer available for carry-out, at its three brew pubs in Portland, Auburn and Freeport.

Accolades

Biovation, a manufacturer of antimicrobial formulations and nonwoven fiber products for food packaging and wound care in Boothbay, recently received the Rising Star Award from the Smaller Business Association of New England.

The United Way of York County recently presented Paul Wainman, president at William Arthur Inc., a stationery company in West Kennebunk, the 2011 Elise Kittredge award for his contributions of time, talent and financial resources to the United Way of York County.

Stanley Bennett, former president and CEO of Oakhurst Dairy in Portland, was recently honored posthumously with the Frank Knight Community Forestry Excellence Award by the Maine Forest Service.

The U.S. Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently recognized Reed & Reed, a construction firm in Woolwich, for operating an exemplary safety and health management system.

Wright-Pierce, an engineering firm in Portland, was recently included on Engineering News Record’s Top 500 Design Firms list.

News 8 WMTW-TV in Portland recently won an Emmy for Best Newscast in Maine.

The Entrepreneurial Center at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland recently presented the following awards: Bob Lothrop and Debbie Lothrop of Chasin’ the Ring BBQ in Gray were awarded Entrepreneurs of the Year; Chris Speh, current chair of the Maine Angels was awarded SMCC Entrepreneurial Center Volunteer of the Year; and Chris Phillips of Chris Phillips, Plant Geek was awarded The Heart of the Incubator award.

The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development recently presented its business award to the following companies: Duratherm Window Corp. in Vassalboro; Hardwood Products Co. in Guilford; JSI Store Fixtures Inc. in Milo; Mid-State Machine Products in Winslow; Snowman Printing & Presort Express in Hermon; and Treworgy Family Orchards in Levant.

Mike Dubyak, chairman, president and CEO at Wright Express in Portland, was recently named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 New England Award finalist.

Portland-based Shipyard Brewing Co. recently announced that its Brewer’s Brown Ale won first place in the brown ale category and its Pugsley’s Signature Series XXXX IPA took first place for India pale ales at the 12th annual West Coast Brew Fest’s Commercial Craft Competition in Sacramento, Calif.

The Bangor Region Leadership Institute recently presented its G. Clifton Eames Award to Jane Searles, regional manager and micro-enterprise trainer for the Maine Centers for Women Work and Community, for being a leader of an organization that helps women enter the work force and lead more productive lives.

Susan Nason, an insurance broker at Clark Insurance in Portland, was recently named the 2011 Insurance Professional of the Year by the Insurance Professionals of Greater Portland for her work in insurance education and mentoring young people entering the profession.

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association recently awarded Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor with its Get with the Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement award for its commitment and success in implementing excellent care for stroke patients according to evidence-based guidelines.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection recently certified the following companies as Environmental Leader grocers: Rising Tide Community Market in Damariscotta; Rosemont Market & Bakery in Portland; and Hannaford Bros. Co. in Augusta. The Environmental Leader program is a self-guided process that encourages lodging facilities, restaurants and grocers to implement selected environmental initiatives.

The Smaller Business Association of New England recently named Technology Systems Inc., a software developer in Brunswick, as a finalist for small business of the year.

The Maine Credit Union League recently honored the following six individuals for contributions to the success of Maine’s credit unions: Alexander Ferguson Award for Outstanding Credit Union Volunteer to Robert Brewer, board of directors chair for Five County CU in Bath; James M. Gratto Award for Outstanding Credit Union Manager to Gail Richardson, president/CEO of Midcoast FCU in Bath; Jeannette G. Morin Award for Outstanding Credit Union Employee to Trina Mercier, assistant vice president at Central Maine FCU in Lewiston; Maine CU League President’s Award for Outstanding League Volunteer to Luke Labbe, president/CEO of PeoplesChoice CU in Saco; Diane L. Oceretko ‘People Helping People’ Award to Catie Scribner, executive administrator at Evergreen CU in Portland; and Governmental Affairs and Political Involvement Award to Roland Poirier, president/CEO of Otis FCU in Jay.

Sen. Olympia Snowe recently recognized Lost Valley Ski & Banquet Resort in Auburn as Small Business of the Week.

Specialty Food magazine recently recognized The Cheese Iron, a specialty food store in Portland, as an outstanding retailer of 2011.

Haley’s Tire and Service Centers in Augusta recently recognized Guy Norcross for 20 years of service with the company.

MaineGeneral Medical Center was recently recognized by the Maine Immunization Program for its efforts to prevent seasonal influenza by vaccinating staff in all areas of the organization.

AlliedCook Construction in Scarborough recently received the 2011 Maine Family Business Award from the Institute for Family Owned Business, given each year to a Maine family-owned business with more than 25 employees.

The Maine Campus Compact recently honored Heather Lindkvist, an instructor of anthropology at Bates College in Lewiston, with the Donald Harward Award for Faculty Service-Learning Excellence.

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