In short from June 14, 2010 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New hires

Harriman, an architecture and engineering firm based in Auburn, recently hired Alyssa Murphy, a registered architect and a LEED accredited professional. Previously, Murphy worked for Edelman Sultan Knox Wood/Architects in New York City.

Baker Newman Noyes, an accounting firm in Portland, recently hired Jana Purrell as a manager in its health care consulting division. The firm also hired Michael Morse as a staff auditor. Previously, Purrell worked as a practice administrator for nine hospital-based physician practices and Morsel worked as an auditor at Ernst & Young.

Tilson Technology Management, an information technology project management company in Portland, recently hired Mark Buxton as project manager, Vera Bryant as senior consultant, Joe Rizza as consultant, Tony Taylor as senior developer and Lindsey O’Donnell as manager of accounting and administration. Previously, Buxton was the owner of Broadband Communications Unlimited Inc. in Greensboro, N.C.; Bryant was senior application support analyst for Cianbro Corp. in Pittsfield; Rizza was employed by the University of Southern Maine; Taylor was a software developer for Disability RMS in Westbrook; and O’Donnell was a training and project coordinator for Liberty Mutual in Portsmouth, N.H.

Winxnet, an IT consulting firm in Portland, recently hired Chris Lawrence as a sales executive and Amanda Downing as a project manager. Previously, Lawrence was a senior account manager at Time Warner Business Class, New England and Downing was a project manager and business system team lead at L.L.Bean in Freeport.

Macdonald Page & Co., a certified public accounting firm in South Portland, recently hired Kate Lanman as a staff accountant.

Pen Bay Healthcare recently hired Elizabeth Dodge as the director of quality, risk and safety at Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport.

The College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor recently hired Jaclyn Cockburn, a geologist.

Career Management Associates, a Portland-based human resource and management consulting firm, recently hired Nancy Brook as senior consultant. Previously, Brook was an outplacement specialist for Keystone Associates in Burlington, Mass.

Camden National Bank in Camden recently hired Derek Hayes and Timothy Tunney as commercial lenders at Union Trust in Ellsworth, a division of Camden National Bank. The bank also hired Scott Fernald as assistant vice president and commercial lending officer for the Midcoast region. Previously, Hayes was vice president, business banking at Bar Harbor Bank and Trust; Tunney was vice president, business banking at Bar Harbor Bank and Trust; and Fernald was a commercial loan officer with TD Bank in Rockland.

Black Point Group, an investment partnership in Portland, recently hired Oakley Dyer as vice president. Previously, Dyer worked for North Atlantic Capital in Portland.

Brunswick-based Downeast Energy recently hired Murray Barton and John Gillis as energy advisers. Previously, Barton worked at Portland Digital Printing and Gillis worked for Gulf Oil LP as northern New England wholesale account manager.

Northeast Bank in Bangor recently hired Shannon Odom as a mortgage loan officer serving northern Maine.

Salem Advisory Group, a registered investment advisory in Kennebunk, recently hired Lawrence Blake and Rob Schreiber as financial advisers.

Sabre Yachts in Raymond recently hired Aaron Crawford as chief operating officer.

Katahdin Trust Co. in Houlton recently hired Danelle Weston as regional vice president, retail services. Previously, Weston was a business development officer with Merrill Bank in Bangor.

Merrill Bank in Bangor recently hired Leah Peabody as assistant vice president and mortgage account officer. Previously, Peabody was a home mortgage consultant for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

Rangeley Region Physical Rehabilitation in Rangeley recently hired Liza Rogers as a physical therapist site coordinator. Previously, Rogers was a physical therapist at North Country Associates in Bingham.

Promotions

KeyBank in Portland recently promoted Dianne Nason to regional trust manager, Key Private Bank, for Key’s Northeast Region.

Winxnet, an IT consulting firm in Portland, recently promoted Gloria White to sales executive. Previously, White was an account manager.

Legacy Publishing Co., a producer of self-help products for families and couples in Westbrook, recently promoted Adam Demmons to national media buyer. Previously, Demmons was a media coordinator.

White Rock Distilleries, a company based in Lewiston, recently promoted Dan Dabbelt to vice president of import brands. Previously, Dabbelt was a Northeast division manager.

The Acadia Hospital in Bangor recently promoted Jeanne Wypyski to the position of director of inpatient and consult services.

Skowhegan Savings recently promoted Debbie Knox to vice president. Previously, Knox was a commercial loan officer.

Spotlight

OneMaine Health Collaborative, a partnership of Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems in Bangor, MaineGeneral Health in Waterville and MaineHealth in Portland, recently selected the University of New England’s Center for Community and Public Health to a team including the Muskie School at the University of Southern Maine and Market Decisions in Portland to conduct a comprehensive community health needs assessment, according to a press release from the collaborative.

The University of New England will conduct a telephone survey to assess the health status and perception and use of health care services of 6,400 randomly selected households throughout Maine.

The information gathered is intended to enable public health officials, health care providers, community organizations and others to effectively develop new or expanded resources, and plan health services for Maine. Results of the study will also be used to help develop Maine’s State Health Plan, published every two years.

Appointments

The Maine Marketing Association in Portland recently named Josh Valentine, chief marketing strategist of Promenade Media in Portland, as president.

The Portland Museum of Art recently announced the following new members to its 2010–2011 board of trustees: Scott Black, Harry Konkel, Samuel Ladd, Frank McGinty and S. Donald Sussman. The museum also elected the following officers: John Isacke, president; Hans Underdahl, chairman; Rosalyne Bernstein, vice president/collections; Anna Wells, vice president; Robert Nanovic, treasurer; William Ryan, assistant treasurer; and James Houle, secretary.

Scot Draeger, an attorney and shareholder at Bernstein Shur, a law firm in Portland, was recently chosen to serve as a member of the Board of Advisors for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Historical Society.

Gov. John Baldacci recently named Ellen Schneiter as the acting commissioner of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services.

Literacy Volunteers of Maine recently appointed Tod Edgecomb, a senior manager at accounting firm Berry, Dunn, McNeil and Parker in Portland, to serve on its board of directors.

The Maine Health Access Foundation in Augusta, a statewide health funder, recently named the following to its board of trustees: Frank Johnson, executive director of the Office of Employee Health & Benefits for the state of Maine; Lisa Sockabasin, director of the Office of Minority Health at the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Maine Department of Health and Human Services; and Ted Sussman, private practice of internal medicine in Houlton. The Maine Health Access Foundation also appointed Arabella Perez, director of the Thrive Initiative in Lewiston, as its community advisory committee member.

Company news

Christy Hillman, principal of Off The Grid Jobs in Portland, recently received the Certified Personnel Services designation from the National Association of Personnel Services.

Chimani in Yarmouth, a developer of national park content and applications for mobile devices, recently announced the launch of a comprehensive guide to Acadia National Park for the iPhone and iPad.

The Cambridge Coffee Bar and Bakehouse recently announced it is open for business at 740 Broadway in South Portland.

The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers in Waterville recently announced the Council on Accreditation has granted the agency’s application for Full Hague Accreditation pursuant to the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000.

Environments at Work, a Haworth office furniture dealer in Portland, recently announced commissions from the University of New England’s Portland campus, NordX Lab in Scarborough and Shamrock Sports Group in Portland.

Community Credit Union in Lewiston recently announced that Bruce Luong, a loan officer, received his certificate as a CUNA Certified Financial Counselor.

The Institute for Civic Leadership Board of Directors recently accepted the resignation of Steve Schuit, executive director of the organization, effective as of July 2010.

Ken Jones, associate professor and director of teacher education at the University of Southern Maine, was recently named a Fulbright Scholar and will be working at Jamia Milia Islamia University in New Delhi, India.

Artel, a manufacturer of liquid handling quality assurance products in Westbrook, recently announced it will host the ISO International Lab Equipment Standards Meeting in 2011, which draws scientists and businesses from around the world.

Career Management Associates, a human resources consulting firm in Portland, recently announced it is moving into the social media market with blogs and podcasting.

Craig Freshley, owner and president of Good Group Decisions in Brunswick, recently announced the release of his book, The Wisdom of Group Decisions - 100 Principles and Practical Tips for Collaboration.

Sheepscot Harbour Village and Resort Condominium Association in Edgecomb recently announced that Cottage Connection in Boothbay has been selected to operate the rental program at the resort.

Dave Griffiths of Dave Griffiths Communications in Mechanic Falls was recently selected to present communication skills training for the Leadership Transition Program at the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C.

Heather Davis, executive director of the Healthy Community Coalition in Farmington, was a featured speaker at the recent Philanthropy Partners conference titled “Changing Times, New Opportunities,” presented by the Maine Philanthropy Center in Northport.

The Maine Technology Institute Board of Directors recently awarded seed grants to the following entrepreneurs and companies across Maine to advance their technologies: Phinney Enterprises in Trescott was awarded $12,500 to develop whelk culture, and characterize the reproductive cycle of local whelk populations; Trillium Diagnostics in Bangor was awarded $12,500 to purchase a used Abbott Sapphire blood counter and to obtain FDA clearance for three tests on this testing platform; Lyman Morse Boatbuilding in Thomaston was awarded $12,400 for the development of Water Wheels, a self contained float system able to supply power to any power needs; Print Recovery Concepts Inc. in Yarmouth was awarded $12,500 to develop black and color soy inkjet samples to help reduce pollution; Foreign Auto & Supply Inc. in Harpswell was awarded $12,500 to develop an engine control unit and a hydrogen assist generator that work to burn hydrogen and oxygen in the combustion chamber for gas and diesel engines; Fox Islands Wind in Vinalhaven was awarded $12,358 to assess the technical feasibility of using its active noise cancellation technology to help mitigate effects of wind turbine sound; Advanced Technologies for Forestry and Agriculture Global Protein Products in Waterville was awarded $12,500 to fund three field trials to test a new product to fight late potato blight; PelletShield Engineered Products in Brewer was awarded $8,600 for market research and business strategy development on its engineered biofuel technology for industrial and residential markets; Seacolors in Washington was awarded $12,500 to advance its low-impact dye process; Creative Digital Imaging Inc. in Bangor was awarded $11,280 to conduct market analysis, develop risk management strategies and create financial projections on a new software service; Advance Electronic Concepts in Portland was awarded $9,400 to submit a patent application for an optical system for a solid state luminaire designed to operate in supermarket refrigeration cases; and Jotul North America in Gorham was awarded $12,500 to create a non-catalytic, top-loading woodstove.

U.S. Cellular recently announced completion of its 3G mobile broadband service network throughout Maine.

Harbor Technologies in Brunswick, a provider of composite solutions to the marine and infrastructure markets, recently announced it has shipped the first three truckloads of 126 pilings to the U.S. Navy in Hawaii.

Springborn Staffing in Portland recently announced it has completed the acquisition of Accomplished Professionals, a staffing firm located in Portland.

Portland Webworks, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, recently announced the launch of a new website, www.mainenaturepreserves.org, in support of Maine’s conservation community that highlights publicly accessible nature preserves throughout Maine.

Stephen Wade, a partner at law firm Skelton, Taintor & Abbott in Augusta, has recently become a fellow of the trial lawyer honorary society Litigation Counsel of America.

The Houlton Regional Hospital recently announced it will receive a $55,000 recovery act investment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to renovate a radiology department and install updated scanning equipment.

Keiser Homes in Oxford, a division of R.J. Finlay & Co., recently completed the construction of a two-story office building. The building will house the company’s sales staff on the first floor and its engineering department on the second floor.

Katahdin Bankshares Corp., parent company of Katahdin Trust Co., recently announced that it has declared a cash dividend of $.082 per share for the second quarter of 2010. The dividend will be payable on June 28 to all shareholders of record as of June 14.

Sandra McCallum of Certified Residential Appraisals in Biddeford was recently awarded a designation for appraisers involved in the valuation and analysis of residential real estate by the Appraisal Institute.

The University of Southern Maine graduate teacher education program was recently designated to be one of 29 campuses nationwide to receive Woodrow Wilson – Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowship Fellows beginning in the 2011-2012 academic year.

Kate Dutra, operations manager and lead instructor at the Green Acres Kennel Shop in Bangor, recently earned Level I recertification through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.

Accolades

Kristine Avery, senior vice president of human resources at FISC Solutions in Lewiston, recently received the 2010 Maine Human Resources Leader of the Year Award by the Society for Human Resource Management Maine State Council.

Peter Rubin, president and shareholder of law firm Bernstein Shur in Portland, was recently named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America.

Virginia Vaitones, an oncology social worker at Penobscot Bay Medical Center’s Cancer Care Center in Rockport, recently received the Leadership in Oncology Social Work Award from the Association of Oncology Social Work.

The Knox Center for Long Term Care in Rockland, the Charles A. Dean Memorial Nursing Home in Greenville and Dexter Health Care in Dexter recently received an Excellence in Action award from My InnerView, a research and quality-improvement solutions provider.

Kleinfelder/S E A Consultants in Augusta recently ranked ninth in the Boston Business Journal’s area’s largest engineering firms list. Kleinfelder/S E A Consultants also received a project achievement award for its U.S. Route 7 bypass project in Connecticut from the New England Chapter of the Construction Management Association of America.

News 8 WMTW-TV in Portland recently received a 2010 Emmy Award for best newscast from the 2009 National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, New England region. South Portland-based Bohler Productions Inc. also received a New England Emmy award for outstanding magazine show for its The Best Maine Escapes television program.

Mike Ouellette, parts and service manager at Northeast Charter & Tour Co. Inc. in Lewiston, recently received the 2010 Polar Bear Award from Bowdoin College in Brunswick.

Wood Dale, Ill.-based lia sophia, an in-home demonstration jewelry retailer, recently awarded Jamie Wheeler of Portland and Cynthia Sirois of Standish with top honors for its Excellent Beginnings Program Achievers.

The Greater Bangor Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Tommyknockers and More Bus Tour was recently recognized as a 2010 Editors’ Choice in Yankee Magazine’s Travel Guide to New England.

NorthStar, a regional emergency ambulance transport service in Farmington, recently presented Dennis Kerrigan with its EMT of the Year award.

GHM Insurance Agency in Waterville recently received the Shep Lee Award for community service at the Maine Family Business Awards hosted by the Institute for Family-Owned Business in Portland.

The University of New England in Biddeford recently received the 2010 Robert R. Masterton Award for economic development by the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Verso Paper Corp. recently recognized employees at its Androscoggin Mill in Jay for working more than a million hours without any time lost due to accidents or injuries.

The Pen Bay Healthcare Board of Trustees recently thanked Anthony Solley, an anesthesiologist, for 22 years of service to Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport.

Libby O’Brien Kingsley & Champion, a law firm in Kennebunk, recently announced that Timothy O’Brien and Brian Champion have been selected by their clients and peers as leaders in their field by Chambers USA for 2010.

Janet Franz, vice president of accounting at Penobscot County Federal Credit Union in Old Town, recently received the Community Service Leadership Certificate of Appreciation as an Outstanding IRS Partner.