In short from June 28, 2010 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New hires

Sanford Institution for Savings recently hired Jeffrey Turcotte as a mortgage originator for the bank’s York office. Previously, Turcotte was an independent mortgage consultant with MetLife Home Loans.

Maine Bank & Trust in Portland recently hired Kelly McKeil as a mortgage account officer at its Falmouth branch. Previously, McKeil worked for Maine Title Services in Falmouth.

iBec Creative, a website and traditional design service provider in Portland, recently hired Chris Campbell as a web developer and project manager and Lauren Myers as a web analyst.

Frank Martin Sons Inc., a forestry and construction equipment dealership in Fort Kent and Madison, recently hired Jack Frost as sales representative for central and southern Maine markets.

Rinck Advertising in Auburn recently hired Kathleen de Silva as account planner. Previously, de Silva owned and operated KdS Consulting in Windham.

The Penobscot Bay Medical Center recently hired Jonathan McMath to its department of psychiatry at its Midcoast Mental Health Center in Rockland. Previously, McMath was director of mental health services at the Togus Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Augusta.

Verrill Dana, a law firm in Portland, recently hired Timothy Shannon as counsel in its litigation and trial department and Lisa Skerlick as director of finance.

The Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport recently hired Cipperly Good as collections manager/curator. Previously, Good was curator and public relations assistant at the Falmouth Historical Society in Falmouth, Mass.

Merrill Bank in Bangor recently hired Larry Diehl as assistant vice president and mortgage account officer. Previously, Diehl was a mortgage loan officer at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

Tilson Technology Management in Portland, an information technology project management company, recently hired Tim LaBreck as project manager and Mark Ellis as senior consultant. Previously, LaBreck was a project manager for On Target Utility Services in Portland and Ellis ran Webini Consulting, which he also founded.

The Acadia Partners for Science and Learning in Winter Harbor recently hired Gail La Rosa Thompson as director of advancement at its Schoodic Education and Research Center.

AlliedCook Construction, a Scarborough-based commercial construction management firm, recently hired Jennifer Broughton as a human resources and administrative coordinator and Keith Cloutier as controller.

Drummond Woodsum, a law firm in Portland, recently hired Anthony Fratianne as an attorney in its business services group. Previously, Fratianne practiced law at Morgan Lewis in Philadelphia.

The Salvation Army Northern New England Division in Portland recently hired Rene Ciccone as its divisional social services director. Previously, Ciccone was a comprehensive assistance director at The Salvation Army in Manchester, N.H.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maine, located in South Portland, recently hired Colin McHugh as vice president, provider engagement and contracting. Previously, McHugh was strategic planning director of comprehensive health solutions for WellPoint Inc., headquartered in Indianapolis.

Friends of Casco Bay in Portland recently hired Jim Splude as pump-out coordinator for its small boat sewage removal service.

Spring Harbor Hospital in Westbrook recently hired Michelle Zichella as director of communications and development. Previously, Zichella was director of special events for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in Falmouth.

The Mid-Coast Mental Health Center in Rockland recently hired Frank Florek as chief financial officer. Previously, Florek was project finance manager with Hodgdon Yachts in East Boothbay.

Promotions

Portland Magazine recently promoted Anna Nelson to advertising director and Lexi Helming to advertising account executive.

The Progress Center in Norway recently promoted Kristin Benedix to assistant executive director. Previously, Benedix was director of programs.

U.S. Cellular recently promoted Mary Grose to store manager for the company’s two Maine Mall stores, Mallside in South Portland and Congress Street in Portland locations.

SMRT, an architecture and engineering firm in Portland, recently promoted Erin Anderson to director of interior design, David Mains to assistant architectural team leader and Michael Chonko to engineering leader.

Bigelow Laboratory in West Boothbay Harbor recently promoted Willie Wilson to director of its Provasoli-Guillard National Center for the Culture of Marine Phytoplankton. Previously, Wilson was a senior research scientist.

Saddleback Maine ski resort in Rangeley recently promoted Christopher Farmer to general manager of the ski resort. Previously, Farmer was director of real estate, planning and development and legal counsel.

Appointments

Delta Dental Plan of Maine in Saco recently elected Beverly Altenburg and Charles Brown as directors.

CB Richard Ellis/The Boulos Co. recently announced that Justin Lamontagne, associate broker, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Maine Commercial Association of Realtors and to the board of directors of the Portland Community Chamber of Commerce.

The Maine Center for Enterprise Development recently announced the following appointments to its 2010 advisory board for its Top Gun program: Tony Perkins, Tech Ventures Group; Christopher Speh, Maine Angels; Ed McKersie, Pro Search Inc.; John Burns, Small Enterprise Growth Fund; Kerem Durdag, Biovation; Kip Moore, Little Diamond Enterprises; Mark Kaplan, CEI Ventures Inc.; Patrick Martin, TD Bank; and Roger Brooks, Maine Technology Institute.

The Cancer Community Center in South Portland recently elected the following new members to the board of trustees: Andy Beahm, L.L.Bean; Sandra Clark Whiston, retired; Carol Edwards, Spectrum Radiology; Eric Blakeman, Blakeman Mavor Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney; and Lori Whynot, Unum.

The Maine Real Estate & Development Association, a statewide organization of commercial real estate owners, developers and related service providers, recently elected Thomas Lea, senior vice president and group manager of commercial real estate at Maine Bank and Trust, as president.

Bernstein Shur, a law firm in Portland, recently announced that Michael Hodgins, attorney and shareholder of the firm, has been elected chairman of the board of trustees of Sebasticook Valley Hospital in Pittsfield.

Company news

The College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor recently received a $100,000 grant from NASA, by way of the Maine Space Grant Consortium, to cover energy research along with the development and implementation of a new interdisciplinary course, The Physics and Mathematics of Sustainable Energy.

The Lewiston MAINEiacs recently announced that Paul Spellman has joined the team in a minority ownership capacity.

Johnny Rockets, a national restaurant chain, recently opened its first Maine restaurant at the Freeport Village Station in Freeport.

Christopher Keister, a painter from Portland, was recently named the 2010 Monhegan Island artist in residence by the Monhegan Artists’ Residency Corp.

Karen Meunier, president and principal evaluator, recently announced the launch of CORIE, a risk management consulting firm in Rockland.

The Maine Beer & Wine Distributors Association in Augusta recently partnered with Olympian Julia Clukey to launch a series of public service announcements to raise awareness about underage drinking.

Elaine Potoker, a professor at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, recently received the designation of senior specialist in the area of business administration by the Fulbright program.

Bangor Arts, a consortium of arts and cultural organizations, recently unveiled its new brand and logo created by Morel Marketing & Communications of Portland.

Maine Manufacturing recently celebrated the grand opening of its new manufacturing facility in Sanford.

The Maine Cancer Foundation recently awarded 20% of its net income in grants totaling $74,220 to the following education and patient support programs: MaineHealth, $5,000; Maine General Medical Center, $5,000; Connecting to Cancer Care, York County Community Action Program, $10,000; Portland Health Department, Cumberland County Healthy Maine Partnership, $8,000; Bridgton’s Lakes Region Transportation Program, $6,000; Camp Sunshine of Casco, $1,500; Down East Hospice of Washington County, $7,500; Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center of Ellsworth, $5,520; Cancer Community Center of South Portland, $10,000.

Karen Schlegel, a real estate broker with Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty in Kennebunk, recently earned a green designation from the National Association of Realtors.

Nickerson & O’Day Inc., a construction firm in Brewer, recently became certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct lead-based paint renovation, repair and painting activities in targeted housing and child-occupied facilities.

The U.S. Department of Energy recently awarded Maine State Housing with an $880,010 recovery act investment for weatherization training. 

The Maine Wind Industry Initiative recently organized a major presence for Maine at the American Wind Energy WindPower 2010 Conference in Dallas with the following companies and organizations represented: The AEWC at the University of Maine; Bath Iron Works; SGC Engineering; Kenway Corp.; Sargent Corp.; the Maine Composites Alliance; Larken Enterprises; the Maine Port Authority; Cianbro; Sprague Energy; MAM/Utilities Service Group; and Bangor Hydro.

Thomas Kittredge, executive director of the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council in Dover-Foxcroft, recently tendered his resignation.

Ross Manor in Bangor, a member of the Eastern Maine Healthcare System, recently announced that the construction of Sylvia Ross Home at Ross Manor, which offers 40 assisted living apartments, is now complete.

Portland-based NUA Advisors, an independent investment advisory firm, recently spoke at the PENSCO Trust symposium in Boston on investing retirement funds in alternative assets such as real estate, secured notes and private equity.

Time Warner Cable recently awarded a three-year grant totaling $100,000 to Coastal Studies for Girls in Freeport. The award will be used to fund science programming and equipment and as a challenge grant to launch a scholarship fund called Scholarships for Science for high school sophomores to attend Coastal Studies for Girls.

Portland’s Downtown District recently announced it has reached an agreement with the Creative Portland Corp. to become responsible for the citywide Arts Guide to Portland directory published every October.

Baxter Brewing Co. recently started renovating space at the Bates Mill in Lewiston.

Todd Chase, a mechanical engineer at Portland-based SMRT, recently earned a Healthcare Facility Design Professional certification from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.

InterSpec Inc., a provider of integrated construction specification software and services in Portland, recently announced the release of version 5.1 of its e-SPECS with a new startup screen, editing enhancements and Autodesk Revit 2011 integration.

The Caleb Foundation, an affordable housing organization based in Massachusetts, recently announced the completion of $2.1 million in energy-efficiency upgrades at River Valley Village in Lewiston, which include the installation of 140 solar panels, the installation of 26 high-efficiency gas boilers, extensive low-flow water unit upgrades, plus air sealing and insulation improvements.

E.S. Boulos Co. Inc. in Westbrook, an electrical construction company, recently announced it is now providing electrical construction services using a Building Information Modeling platform on projects that specify its use. The company was also awarded the electrical construction of the Portland International Jetport expansion project.

Old Town-based Governor’s Restaurant recently celebrated its 50th year in business.

The Portland Museum of Art recently received a $3 million gift from the family of Emily Eaton Moore, a trustee and longtime supporter of the museum.

Saddleback Maine ski resort in Rangeley recently announced it is expanding its Promoting Education and Activity for Kids program to include honor roll students in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Broadreach Public Relations in Yarmouth recently renewed its contract to serve as the agency of record for Lewiston-based Northeast Bank and related companies for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Legal Services for the Elderly in Augusta recently developed a consumer debt unit to help Maine’s elderly deal with consumer debt problems.

Clare Bates Congdon, assistant professor of computer science at the University of Southern Maine, was recently awarded a National Science Foundation $400,000, five-year CAREER grant designed to support the work of teacher-scholars who most effectively integrate their research with the education of students. 

The Maine Development Foundation’s Downtown Center announced the addition of Belfast, Brunswick, Damariscotta, Dover-Foxcroft, Machias and Madawaska to its Maine Downtown Network program.

Seaglass Village, a seasonal cottage community in Wells, recently announced the completion of its clubhouse.

Fisher & Phillips, a labor and employment law firm in Portland, recently announced it has increased its associate pay scale by an average 8%. The firm’s owners will absorb the increase.

Miller Drug recently celebrated the completion of the Miller Drug and Affiliated Pharmacy merger with a ribbon cutting ceremony at its office in the Eastern Maine Medical Center Healthcare Mall in Bangor.

AlliedCook Construction in Scarborough recently completed the new Gorham Savings Bank branch in Falmouth.

AU, a bag and clothing retailer in Portland, recently announced it has moved to 65 West Commercial St. in Portland.

Baker Newman Noyes, an accounting firm in Portland, recently became a partner in the Accounting Doctoral Scholars program administered through the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Foundation. The program provides financial and other support to individuals committed to teaching and researching in the areas of auditing and taxes.

Accolades

The University of Maine Farmington recently celebrated the 20-year anniversary of its University of Maine at Farmington-Beijing University of Technology Exchange Program.

Marc Motors in Sanford was recently named the top volume Nissan dealer in Maine for sales through May 31.

Susan Sepples, director and associate professor at the University of Southern Maine School of Nursing, recently received the volunteer of the year award by the Visiting Nurse Associations of America.

Hammond Lumber was recently named the 43rd top performer in the United States by ProSales 100, a national report on construction supply companies.

Wright-Pierce, an engineering firm in Portland, was recently selected for the 2010 Circle of Excellence by PSMJ Resources Inc., a management consulting firm for the architectural and engineering industries.

Oak Point Associates, an architecture and engineering firm based in Biddeford, was recently awarded the Merit Award from the American Institute of Architects for the design of the Foster Student Innovation Center at the University of Maine’s Orono campus.

Don Hudson, president of Chewonki in Wiscasset, was recently honored with an L.L.Bean Outdoor Hero Award.

Katahdin Bankshares Corp. in Houlton, parent company of Katahdin Trust Co., has been named a Top 200 Community Bank by U.S. Banker magazine.

Design firm Pulp+Wire in Portland was recently recognized by global brand consultancy Graphic Design Research United Kingdom’s Creative Intelligence and Global Innovation Report 36.

Benjamin Rogoff Gideon, an attorney at Berman & Simmons in Portland, was recently recognized by Martindale-Hubbell for achieving an AV(r) preeminent rating. An AV(r) certification represents the highest level of professional excellence based on peer review.

The Freeport Historical Society recently awarded the Coastal Studies for Girls a Partners in Preservation Award for renovation work, performed by Wright-Ryan Construction of Portland, on the school’s farm house.

The Looking Glass Restaurant in Bar Harbor was recently selected as Maine’s best breakfast with a view by Yankee Magazine.

Portland-based Shipyard Brewing Co.’s Pugsley’s Signature Series Imperial Porter was awarded third place in the porter category at the San Diego County Fair’s fourth annual San Diego International Beer Festival.

Gov. John Baldacci recently presented Reza Namin, the superintendent of the Westbrook School Department, with the Maine Public Utilities Commission/Efficiency Maine Hastings Award.

The University of Southern Maine recently awarded Allen Sockabasin, a Passamaquoddy leader and author of the 2007 memoir, “An Upriver Passamaquoddy,” with the Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine’s 2010 Catalyst for Change Award.

Secretary of State Matt Dunlap recently recognized the Greater Rumford Community Center for 100 years of incorporation.

The Maine Development Foundation’s Downtown Center recently presented its Downtown Visionary award to Michael Baran, director of the Maine Office of Community Development, and its Main Street Maine Program of the Year award to Main Street Skowhegan.

Rudman & Winchell, a law firm in Bangor, received high ratings from Chambers and Partners, a worldwide legal rankings firm, in the following practice areas: corporate/mergers and acquisitions; labor and employment; litigation; and general commercial and real estate.

The Cancer Community Center recently honored Chris Kuhn and Dave Langdon, radiologists at Mercy Hospital in Portland, for organizing the Not Dead Yet Bike Ride & Lobster Bake.

Paul Mayewski, director of the University of Maine Climate Change Institute in Orono, recently received the International Glaciological Society’s Seligman Crystal award.

Brewer-based construction firm Nickerson & O’Day Inc. was recently presented with a 2010 Maine Preservation Society Honor Award for its restoration of the 1833 Winterport Union Meeting House.

Shipyard Brewing Co. in Portland recently received two awards at the 2010 Australian International Beer Awards in Melbourne, Australia.

Scarborough-based G. M. Pollack & Sons Jewelers recently ranked 37 out of the top 50 retail jewelers in North America in National Jeweler Magazine’s State of the Majors report.

Preti Flaherty, a law firm in Portland, recently announced that 19 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2010 Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Business Lawyers, a legal directory of attorneys and law firms in the United States. The following attorneys are new to the Chambers rankings this year: Neal Pratt; Donald Sipe; Anthony Buxton; and Andrew Landry. Twelve attorneys from Portland-based law firm Pierce Atwood were also recognized in the 2010 Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Business Lawyers.

Harriman, an architecture and engineering firm in Auburn, recently received a citation award from the Maine Chapter of the American Institute of Architects for its design of 123 Middle St. in Portland.

Spotlight

The Institute for Civic Leadership in Portland expects to notify selected candidates to its Young Emerging Leaders Pilot Program by the end of July. The prorgam provides leadership development training and mentoring to Maine’s 20- and 30-somethings, according to a press release from the organization.

Participants in the Young Emerging Leaders Pilot Program, which is seed funded by Norton Insurance and Financial, in turn must make a commitment to serve on a nonprofit board or committee in Maine for a minimum of six months.

The leadership training begins in September and continues through December, with a total of five evening sessions and one additional full-day session, as well as required mentoring meetings and practicum work that sends participants out of the classroom and into the boardroom.