In short from June 27, 2011 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New Hires

Broadreach Public Relations, a public relations firm in Portland, recently hired Gabrielle Finger as a media relations specialist.

Pierce Atwood, a law firm in Portland, recently hired Nolan Reichl as an associate in the firm’s litigation practice group.

BerryDunn, an accounting firm in Portland, recently hired Michael Schoenbaum as a systems administrator and Kristen Lynds as a staff accountant.

Verrill Dana, a law firm in Portland, recently hired Eric Gentino and Matt Smith as summer associates.

Winxnet, a Portland-based IT servcies provider, recently hired Julie Short as an account manager and Chris Berry as a help desk technician.

Franklin Community Health Network recently hired Carl Rosen, a urologist and surgeon, to the medical staff of Franklin Health Urology and Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.

Drummond Woodsum, a law firm in Portland, recently hired immigration attorneys Mona Movafaghi and Christina Simpson.

First Advisors, the investment management and trust division of The First Bancorp, recently hired Lorraine Ouellette as senior relationship manager in the Bar Harbor office.

Knoll, a national office-furniture provider, recently hired Jonathan deGregoris as the sales representative for Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

GovernanceMetrics International in Portland recently hired Paul Hodgson as managing director and chief communications officer.

Bailey Sign Inc. in Westbrook recently hired Caitlin Thompson as marketing director.

The Camden Harbour Inn recently hired Alejandro Marchesini as restaurant manager and sommelier of Natalie’s Restaurant and the inn.

The city of Brewer recently hired Nicole Gogan as economic development specialist.

Katahdin Trust Co. in Hamden recently hired Sunny Somers as manager and retail services officer and Chad Desjardins as manager and retail services officer at the Bangor branch on Broadway.

Town & Country Federal Credit Union recently hired Scott Peters as manager of its branch at 3 Auburn St. in Portland, and Walter McCallister as manager of its Scarborough branch.

Allen & Selig Realty in North Yarmouth recently hired brokers Eleanor Carolan, Ellen Vaughan and Jess Jensen.

Harriman, an architecture and engineering firm in Auburn, recently hired architectural designer Tyler Johnson.

The Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce recently hired Christian Savage as program assistant and Robyn Loubier as business development assistant.

The Maine Development Foundation recently hired Maggie Drummond as the program director for the Maine Employers’ Initiative.

The Maine Coalition for Excellence in Education recently hired Tanna Clews as executive director.

Career Management Associates in Portland recently hired Valerie Mercer as senior consultant.

Bangor Savings Bank recently hired Teresa Thompson as branch manager of its Northgate/Allen Avenue branch in Portland, and James Robbins as vice president and senior development officer.

Trask-Decrow Machinery, a construction equipment provider in South Portland, recently hired Shawn Fortin as service technician.

Northeast Bank recently hired Jennifer Stonehouse as a mortgage loan officer located at 7 Saco Road in Alfred.

PenBay Solutions, a technology solutions company in Brunswick, recently hired Thomas Marcotte as technical lead.

College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor recently hired Darron Collins as president.

Promotions

Woodard & Curran, an engineering firm in Portland, recently hired Dan Kelley as vice president of the firm.

U.S. Cellular recently hired Amanda Demers as store manager for stores in Waterville and Farmington.

Hollywood Slots Hotel and Raceway in Bangor recently promoted Christine Hills to beverage manager.

Volk Packaging Corp., a corrugated box manufacturer in Biddeford, recently promoted Douglas Volk to CEO/COO and Derek Volk to president.

Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor recently promoted cancer researcher Kevin Mills to associate professor.

Appointments

Bernstein Shur, a law firm in Portland, recently announced attorneys Scot Draeger, Andru Volinsky and Patricia Peard have been selected by their colleagues to serve as members on the firm’s board of directors.

The Maine Real Estate & Development Association, a statewide organization of commercial real estate owners, developers and related service providers, recently elected Matt Early, senior vice president of the business services group at Gorham Savings Bank, as a board member.

The Sunrise County Economic Council recently appointed Rep. Joyce Maker of Calais to its board of directors.

Gov. Paul LePage recently announced Eric Cioppa, deputy superintendent of the Bureau of Insurance, Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, will serve as acting superintendent. The governor also appointed Katrin Teel to serve as senior health policy adviser.

The Studio Theatre of Bath recently elected the following to its board of directors for 2011-2012: Christina Boyington; Susan Elwell; Pam Frampton; Calvin Hooker; Colin Kelley; Amie Marzen; Wayne Otto; April Joy Purinton; Bob Reed; Justin St. Louis; Margie Sunderland; Belita Velizco; and Sherry Watson.

The University of New England in Biddeford recently elected the following to three-year-terms on its board of trustees: David Anderson, managing director of Supply Chain Ventures in Biddeford; Grover Gilmore, dean of the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences and professor of psychology and social work at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio; Joseph Kenneally, past president of the Maine Dental Association; Patricia Phillips, a practicing osteopathic in Yarmouth; Nancy St. John Pond, a trustee of Spring Harbor Hospital; Richard Roderick, retired senior vice president and president of the Real Estate Division, Dead River Co.; and Barbara Ross-Lee, vice president for health sciences and medical affairs at New York Institute of Technology.

Company News

Michael Hachey, senior vice president of ambulatory services and network development at Mercy Health System of Maine in Portland recently received certification as a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Tilson Fiber Technology, an IT service provider in Portland, was recently chosen to serve as Owner’s Project Manager for the MassBroadband 123 project, a broadband infrastructure project spanning more than 1,300 miles in western and north central Massachusetts.

Greater Portland Transit District METRO recently announced seven new buses to its fleet. Funding came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, with additional funds provided by the Maine Department of Transportation.

The Maine Department of Economic & Community Development’s Office of Tourism recently awarded more than $895,000 in grants to the following regional tourism organizations and two special events as a part of the Maine Tourism Marketing Partnership Program: Aroostook County Tourism; DownEast & Acadia Regional Tourism; Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau; Kennebec Valley Tourism Council; Maine Beaches Association; Midcoast Chamber Council; Maine Lakes & Mountains; and The Maine Highlands - Bangor/Katahdin/Moosehead Lake. Additionally, the Brunswick International Fly-In and Maine Maritime Trail events have also received funding.

Putney Inc., a pet pharmaceutical company in Portland, recently completed its third year as a partner with Babson Consulting Alliance Program, an entrepreneurial management education provider in Wellesley, Mass.

The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting based in Hallowell, which provides news stories as a public service to 21 Maine newspapers and one radio station, recently announced it will now be distributed nationally and internationally by the Thompson Reuters news service.

The Finance Authority of Maine recently announced the following recipients of $975,000 in food processing grants for Maine fishing and agricultural enterprises: Stonington Sea Products; Blake’s Custom-Cut Meats of Alexander; Northern Girl; Portland Shellfish Co. Inc.; Somerset Grist Mill; and The Gelato Fiasco Inc.

Sebago Brewing Co. in Gorham recently announced the release of its newest single batch series beer, Trekker Pale Ale.

Lindt Chocolate Shop recently announced it is now open for business at 1 Freeport Village Station in Freeport.

Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington recently announced that Jonathan Abell has completed his doctorate degree in physical therapy from Des Moines University.

The U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary recently awarded the following public housing agencies: Augusta Housing Authority, $16,242; Bangor Housing Authority, $22,776; Housing Authority of the city of Old Town, $11,986; and Lewiston Housing Authority, $19,986.

The U.S. Economic Development Administration recently certified Trade Adjustment Assistance for Howard Tool Co. Inc. in Bangor.

Biovation, a manufacturer of antimicrobial formulations and non-woven fiber products for food packaging and wound care in Boothbay, recently announced it has shipped its first finished end-customer, non-woven product to a food-producer customer.

The wind power technology program at Northern Maine Community College has attracted international attention resulting in $28,000 worth of tool and equipment donations from three German companies.

The Maine Women’s Policy Center recently welcomed Nicole Bissonnette as the 2011 Linda Smith Dyer Law Fellow.

White Cap Grille recently announced it is now open for business in Portland’s Old Port.

TelLan Network Technologies Inc. (dba VoIPnet Technologies) and ITPartners, a certified partner with major technology manufacturers, recently announced they have merged to form Unified Technologies Inc., located at 583 Warren Ave. in Portland.

Cerahelix in Orono, a Maine Cleantech company, was recently selected from among 730 applicants as a finalist in the 2011 Mass Challenge competition. Finalists will enter the accelerator round from June until October 2011 for final judging. Top companies receive grants of either $50,000 or $100,000 to help start their businesses.

Oxford Networks in Lewiston recently announced that Dawna Hannan, director of customer satisfaction, regulatory affairs and human resources, celebrated her 30th year of employment with the company.

Maine Commission for Community Service announced that the Maine Conservation Corps received AmeriCorps grant funds from the Corporation for National and Community Service. The commission will distribute more than $390,000 in funding to the Maine Conservation Corps.

Katahdin Bankshares Corp., parent company of Katahdin Trust Co., recently announced a cash dividend of $.082 per share for the first quarter of 2011. The dividend will be payable on June 27 to all shareholders of record as of June 13.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently approved $170,000 for the Northern Maine Regional Airport in Presque Isle to acquire snow removal equipment and $637,599 to acquire a new aircraft rescue and fire fighting vehicle to assist in meeting safety requirements; and $350,000 for the Stephen A. Bean Municipal Airport in Rangeley for the construction of a snow-removal equipment building to protect equipment from weather.

Becky Ruggiero, a lead instructor at the Green Acres Kennel Shop in Bangor, recently earned Level I recertification through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.

Chimani, a developer of mobile applications in Yarmouth, recently announced the release of its newest app, Chimani Great Smoky Mountains National Park, for the iPhone and Android platforms.

Johann Azzopardi of Prudential’s Greater New England Agency in Portland, Carole Luce and Brian Gilpatrick of Prudential’s Greater New England Agency in South Portland have been included in Million Dollar Round Table, an association of financial professionals.

Blue Marble Geographics, a software developer in Gorham, recently announced an upgrade of its developer tool GeoTransform, now available within GeoCore, Blue Marble’s geospatial developer tool kit. GeoTransform 6.1 is the latest raster image file transformation and manipulation tool kit from the company.

Original Computing recently announced the opening of its new headquarters at 14 Maine St., Brunswick.

Tammy Ackerman, executive director of Engine, a Biddeford-based nonprofit devoted to promoting the arts and cultural development, was recently awarded the Henry G. Brooks Public Service Fellowship, which provides a full scholarship to attend the June 2011 Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

The Sacopee Valley Health Center in Porter has won a federal grant for more than $900,000 to provide primary health care for families in Cumberland, York, and Oxford counties.

Spotlight

The Finance Authority of Maine, which administers state and federal educational grant, scholarship, loan and loan repayment programs, recently announced a new dental equipment revolving loan program in cooperation with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, according to a press release from the financial authority.

Funded through a three-year grant obtained by DHHS under the federal Public Health Services Act, Maine will have $420,000 to establish a revolving loan fund for the purchase, replacement or upgrading of equipment for eligible dental care facilities throughout Maine. The goal of the program is to expand access to dental care in designated dental health professional shortage areas. The program will be administered by FAME under an agreement with DHHS. All projects must be pre-approved by DHHS before loan eligibility is determined by FAME.

Accolades

Dean Bingham of R. Dean Bingham Architects in Portland was recently nominated for the 2011 Restaurant Design Awards, in the annual Los Angeles American Institute of Architects competition, for the design of Grace restaurant in Portland.

Artel, a liquid handling quality assurance provider in Westbrook, was recently named the 2011 Innovator of the Year by the Maine International Trade Center.

Wright Express Corp., a payment processing and information management services provider in South Portland, recently announced its call center made the Top 100 Call Center list after participating in the 15th Annual Call Center Benchmarking Study conducted by BenchmarkPortal and The Center for Customer-Driven Quality. Wright Express ranked 20th in the smaller centers category, with fewer than 100 agents.

Reed & Reed, a construction firm in Woolwich, was recently awarded Safety & Health Achievement Recognition Program Certification for the Veterans Memorial Bridge project, one of two Construction Pilot SHARP sites in the country.

The Lewiston Auburn Economic Growth Council recently honored Bedard, a pharmacy in Lewiston, with an economic achievement award.

Verso Paper Corp.’s Androscoggin Mill in Jay was recently awarded the 2011 Work Healthy Gold Award from the Healthy Community Coalition.

Joel Botler, medical director of adult inpatient medicine at Maine Medical Center, and the Geriatrics Center at Maine Medical Center were recently presented with the Maine Alzheimer’s Champion Award, by the Maine Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, presented to an individual or group whose work or activity benefits those living with dementia.

The Hanover Insurance Group Inc., a provider of property and casualty insurance products, recently honored TD Insurance Inc., headquartered in South Portland, with its Top Franchise Partner Award, the company’s highest honor.

Susan Davies, a senior biologist who serves as the water quality standards coordinator for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in its Bureau of Land and Water Quality, was presented the 2011 Environmental Stewardship Award by the Society for Freshwater Science.

Modern Pest Services in Brunswick recently ranked 45th in this year’s 2010 revenue-based top 100 pest control companies in North America by the Pest Control Technolog, a pest control news and resource center.

Bernstein Shur, a law firm in Portland, was recently ranked in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA, a directory of the country’s top law firms.

Rudman Winchell, a law firm in Bangor, recently received recognition in the following practice areas from Chambers and Partners, a worldwide legal rankings firm: corporate/mergers and acquisitions; labor and employment; litigation; medical malpractice and insurance; real estate; and timberlands.

Allen Insurance and Financial in Camden was recently honored with the President’s Award for its superior performance by Peerless Insurance and Safeco Insurance, members of the Liberty Mutual Group.

The University of New England’s Add Verb Productions in Portland recently announced the publication of its first book, Out & Allied Anthology, featuring youth-written monologues, short plays and poems.

Catholic Charities Maine recently announced the opening a 1,000-square-foot thrift store at 244 St. John St. in Union Station Plaza in Portland.

The Maine Center for Enterprise Development recently announced the opening of the application process for its Top Gun program, Class of 2011. This year, in collaboration with the University of Maine’s Target Technology Center and the Foster Center for Innovation, and with funding from Maine Technology Institute, the program has expanded statewide.

Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, within the Department of Health and Human Services, recently announced the award of a $1.8 million, three-year grant to continue providing home-based maternal and child health services to at-risk prenatal women, newborns, new mothers and children with special needs throughout York, Cumberland, and southern Oxford counties. HomeHealth Visiting Nurses will serve as lead agency in partnership with Portland Public Health Division and Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice.

The Telling Room, a nonprofit writing center in Portland, was recently awarded a $14,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, an independent federal agency supporting artists and arts organizations, for its year-long themed writing project with local youth for the 2011-2012 school year.

Consigli Construction Co. Inc. recently announced the firm’s Portland office has moved into expanded space at 15 Franklin St. in Portland.

The city of Belfast was recently awarded a $400,000 Brownfields Assessment grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be used on abandoned or underutilized industrial and commercial sites that possess economic redevelopment/reuse potential, where that potential is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.

SPX Communication Technology, a manufacturer of antenna systems in Raymond, recently announced its Quick Ship program for transmission line components, which guarantees components will ship within 24 hours or the freight is free.

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