In short from March 22, 2010 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New Hires

United Way of Greater Portland recently hired Suzanne McCormick as president and CEO. Previously, McCormick served as president and CEO of the American Red Cross of Southern Maine in Portland.

Kristin McWhinnie of Saco recently became an independent consultant with Tastefully Simple Inc., a national direct sales company featuring easy-to-prepare foods.

Nancy Marshall Communications in Augusta recently hired Eric Reynolds as Internet project manager.

Allen Insurance & Financial in Saco recently hired Kris Sullivan to provide insurance counseling and advice to its clients.

Seacoast Law in Westbrook recently hired Sally Curran to handle bankruptcy and family law and Molly Sinclair as an associate attorney.

Maine Bank & Trust in Portland recently hired Kregg Jarvais as the commercial workout and recovery officer in the commercial banking group and Pam DiPietro Hale to its community banking team as a vice president, small business loan officer.

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine in Augusta recently hired Cecelia Garton as office manager and Jim Tasse as education director. Tasse previously served as project director of Healthy Casco Bay in Portland and Garton was a middle school science teacher.

Joshua Lawrence, a psychologist in the Bangor area, was recently named the director of psychology for The Acadia Hospital.

St. Germaine & Associates Inc., an engineering and consulting firm in Westbrook, recently hired Jessica Szafranski as a geologist.

Efficiency Maine Trust in Hallowell recently hired Michael Stoddard as executive director.

The Chewonki Foundation, an environmental education foundation in Wiscasset, recently hired Willard Morgan as president.

Knight Vision International, a media solutions company in Scarborough, recently hired Jill Valley-Orlando as a media relations specialist.

Verrill Dana, a law firm in Portland, recently hired William Shannon as partner in the business law department.

Spinnaker Trust, a wealth management and trust services firm in Portland, recently hired Karen Philbrick as the tax and trust administration assistant. Previously, Philbrick was a private client service associate with TD Wealth Management.

HeadInvest, a Portland-based investment advisor, recently hired Kenneth Blaschke as vice president and portfolio manager.

North Yarmouth Academy recently hired John Jaques as the director of summer and auxiliary programs.

Maine Marine Trades Association in Thomaston, a provider of training in marine systems and related programs, recently hired Tuesdi Woodworth as director.

First Advisors, the investment management division of The First in Damariscotta, recently hired Gary Stone as a portfolio manager. Previously, Stone was a business development officer at Camden National Bank.

The Maine Insurance Agents Association in Augusta recently hired Shannon Gorman as the director of education and conferences. Previously, Gorman worked as a small business marketing representative for OneBeacon Insurance in South Portland.

TD Bank recently hired Michael Basso as manager of its branch at 89 Elm St. in Camden. Previously, Basso was branch manager at KeyBank in Bangor.

The Institute for Financial Literacy, a nonprofit financial literacy organization in Portland, recently hired Mitch Ronco as director of business development and Margaret Huber as a call center supervisor.

Promotions

Oxford Networks, a communication provider in Lewiston, recently promoted Kate Saunders to account manager for central and southern Maine, Scott Mathieu to account manager in central and eastern Maine and Myles Mitchell to account manager for eastern Maine. Previously, Saunders was a customer service representative, Mathieu was a sales engineer/project coordinator and Mitchell was a business service coordinator.

Maine Bank & Trust in Portland recently promoted Jennifer Corbett to vice president, mortgage sales manager. Previously, Corbett was assistant vice president.

Legacy Publishing Co. in Westbrook recently promoted Amanda Field to its finance team as an accounting clerk. Previously, Field was a senior call monitor.

Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution recently promoted David Goyet to senior vice president. Previously, Goyet was vice president of business development.

Sage Data Security, an information security firm located in South Portland, recently promoted Joe Kurlanski to vice president.

Appointments

The Make-a-Wish Foundation of Maine recently appointed Jennifer Richard to its board of directors.

The Friends of Casco Bay, a marine stewardship organization, recently appointed Bob Knecht, principle and broker of Town & Shore Associates in Portland, and D. John Wise, principal investigator of the Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology in Portland, to its board of directors.

People Plus, a community center in Brunswick, recently appointed Jim Pierce to its board of trustees.

Coastal Enterprises Inc., a nonprofit community development corporation and community development financial institution in Wiscasset, recently appointed the following board members to serve a three-year term: Erin Cooperider, director of Community Housing of Maine in Portland; Michael Coughlin, president of Goodwill Industries of Northern New England in Portland; and David Vail, economist of agriculture and eco-tourist advocate in Brunswick. It also reelected the following people for three-year terms: Patricia Finnigan, assistant city manager of Portland, Robert Gardiner, president of Independence Wind in Brunswick; Peter Pitegoff, dean and professor of law at University of Maine School of Law in Portland; and Ellen Seidman, executive vice president of ShoreBank Corp. in Washington, D.C.

Ben Willauer, a financial adviser with Charter Oak Capital Management in Kennebunk, was recently appointed to the Nature Conservancy of Maine board of trustees.

Rebecca Greenfield, an attorney at Portland-based law firm Pierce Atwood, was recently named president of the Cumberland County Bar Association.

Spotlight

The Hannaford Charitable Foundation recently announced a $500,000 gift to Maine Medical Center in Portland supporting construction of a hands-on, simulation learning center for a variety of medical techniques, ranging from surgery to patient examinations, according to a press release from the foundation.

The $5.82 million facility, The Hannaford Center for Safety, Innovation and Simulation at Maine Medical Center, will be an 18,000-square-foot facility located at Maine Medical Center’s Brighton Campus on Portland’s Brighton Avenue.

Features of the simulation center include operating rooms that are identical to those at Maine Medical Center; a skills lab, where students will practice procedures such as stitching sutures or performing colonoscopies; and patient rooms where students can build their patient communication skills and develop a patient- and family-centered bedside manner.

Company News

The Lifeline Workplace Medical Program, previously located at the University of Southern Maine in Portland, recently joined Maine Medical Center in Portland to improve the health of the companies’ employees.

Mid-coast Maine Mental Health Center in Rockland recently joined Maine Mental Health Partners in South Portland to further the organization’s mission to create an integrated network of community-based mental health services.

Seabreeze Property Service Inc. in Portland was recently awarded a five-year contract for exterior landscaping services at the Portland International Jetport.

Bar Harbor Bankshares, parent company of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, recently announced that it has redeemed all 18,751 shares of its fixed rate cumulative perpetual preferred stock, series A that it sold to the U.S. Department of the Treasury on Jan.16, 2009, as part of the Capital Purchase Program established under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.

Lilley’s Limousine recently moved from 275 Gorham Road in Scarborough to 185 U.S. Route 1 in Scarborough.

GrowSmart Maine, a nonprofit in Portland working to improve the state’s prospects for growing new jobs and businesses, recently hired Envision Maine, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank in Portland, to complete a follow-up study to Charting Maine’s Future that will provide a blueprint for increased government efficiencies.

Shipyard Brewing Co. in Portland recently released two of its popular Pugsley’s Signature Series XXXX IPA and Imperial Porter.

David Soley, an attorney at Berstein Shur, a law firm in Portland, recently published “The Real Estate Litigation Handbook.”

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in Standish recently announced its new online family nurse practitioner program that allows nurses to do advanced degree course work online and complete clinical experiences largely at home.

FISC Solutions, a back-office service provider headquartered in Lewiston, recently implemented its remote deposit capture product, FISCorporate, in over 175 merchant locations and has since expanded to locations outside of the Northeast, including merchant locations on the West Coast.

Walter Arsenault recently announced the formation of a new full-service architectural firm, Fraser Matson Architecture & Planning in Falmouth.

Blue Marble Geographics, a mapping software company in Gardiner, exhibited at the Oceanology International 2010 conference in London from March 9 to March 11.

Gritty McDuff’s Brewing Co. in Portland recently announced that its seasonal favorite, Vacationland Summer Ale, will be available by the end of March.

Reliant Mortgage Co. in Sanford recently announced the opening of its newest branch at 909B Main St. in downtown Sanford.

Oakhurst Dairy in Portland was recently chosen as the official supplier of local Maine dairy products to six campuses in the University of Maine system.

KICTeam, a manufacturer of cleaning cards in Auburn, recently announced the release of its EZ Printer/Copier/Fax Cleaner Sheet and the release of its Bixolon Thermal Print Head Cleaning Pens.

Planet Dog, a pet product manufacturer in Portland, recently announced the launch of its Planet Dog Eats, a new line of premium and healthy dog treats.

Gifford’s Ice Cream in Skowhegan recently announced it is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission’s Efficiency Maine program recently announced the following commercial grant program awards: Aqua Maine Inc. in West Rockport, $41,250; B & L Auto Parts Inc. in Brewer, $50,000; Bowdoin College in Brunswick, $50,000; city of Bath, $32,037; Corinth Wood Pellets in Corinth, $19,379; Ecomaine in Portland, $50,000; GS Inc. in Rockland, $29,840; Gritty McDuff’s in Freeport; $20,862; Knox Center for Long Term Care in Rockland; $50,000; L.L.Bean Inc. in Freeport, $11,535; Longfellow’s Greenhouse in Manchester, $30,113; Maine Pines Racquet & Fitness Club in Brunswick; $14,947; Robert’s Maine Grill in Kittery, $22,232; Saint Joseph’s College in Standish, $46,540; Scratch Baking Co. in South Portland, $9,547; Sebasco Harbor Resort in Sebasco Estates, $36,000; The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, $86,750; and the town of Scarborough, $33,009.

The city of Old Town plans to expand City Hall into the first floor of its current location. The city has been leasing the second floor of the Bangor Savings Bank building on Main Street.

The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation recently awarded a third $100,000 grant to Portland-based Let’s Go! for the 5-2-1-0 Goes to School Program.

Media specialist Crystal Canney recently announced that Canney Communications has begun full-time operations in Portland.

York County Community College and the University of Maine Fort Kent have recently entered into an academic articulation agreement for York County Community College students who want to transfer a two-year criminal justice associates degree toward the University of Maine Fort Kent bachelor degree in rural public safety administration.

Alice Willard-Michaels, the diabetes educator at Parkview Adventist Medical Center in Brunswick, recently completed recertification for her credentials as a certified diabetes educator.

Fluid Imaging Technologies, a water quality instrumentation manufacturer in Yarmouth, recently announced the release of its Submersible FlowCAM, a particle and cell imaging and analysis system.

Maine Education Services in Portland, a nonprofit organization that promotes access to higher education, and the Institute for Financial Literacy, a national group that promotes adult financial literacy, recently joined forces to offer financial literacy education services to Maine students and their families.

Accolades

The Maine Real Estate and Development Association in Portland recently recognized Darryl Brown, owner and president of Main-Land Development Consultants in Livermore Falls, for public policy advocacy.

Don Lauzier, vice president of community relations for Saco Biddeford Savings Institution, announced that Carolyn Lamontagne, Old Orchard Beach branch manager and member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, recently received the A. William Kany, Jr. Community Service Award from the Salvation Army.

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, headquartered in McLean, Va., recently awarded the Maine Office of Tourism in Augusta and Swardlick Marketing Group in Portland a Platinum Adrian Award for advertising excellence for its winning entry in the 53rd annual Adrian Awards Competition.

MaineHealth, a health care delivery network in Portland, was recently ranked 26th among the nation’s best performing health care systems based on a survey by SDI, a New England-based healthcare market insight and analytics firm. MaineHealth also ranked third in a listing of the top 10 health care systems in the Northeast.

Downeast Dog News, a Poland-based newspaper for people who love dogs, was recently nominated for four awards in the Dog Writer’s Association of America 2009 writing competition.

Harbor Technologies, a provider of environmentally friendly building products for the marine and infrastructure markets in Brunswick, recently received the 2010 American Composites Manufacturing Association’s award for composites excellence.

Downeast Energy and Building Supply in Mt. Vernon recently received the outstanding achievement award and the You Raise Me Up award from The United Way of Tri-Valley Area in Franklin County, Livermore and Livermore Falls.

Mark Gauger and Chris Toriello, local independent distributors for Reliv International in North Yarmouth, recently earned a free Caribbean cruise trip from the direct selling company.

First lady Michelle Obama recently designated Maine Maritime Museum in Bath as one of the nation’s newest Preserve America Stewards for protecting our nation’s historic treasures. Leonard Tyler, president of Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, was recently selected to receive the 2010 Mariner’s Award for leadership in maritime education.

Rick Hafford, manager of McDonald’s in Rockland, recently received the Ray Kroc Award, which recognizes the top performing McDonald’s restaurant managers in the country.

J.C. Stone Inc., a stone supplier in Jefferson, recently received the Pinnacle Award of Merit in the renovation and restoration discipline for their work on Bowdoin College’s Walker Art Building.

NUA Advisors LLC, an investment advisory firm specializing in non-traditional investing within retirement accounts in Portland, was recently named 2010 Five Star Wealth Manager by Crescendo Business Services, an independent research firm in Burnsville, Minn.

Acapello Salon & Spa, located in Saco, Scarborough and Falmouth, was recently named one of Salon Today Magazine’s Top 200 Salons.

Lia Sophia, a direct selling company offering jewelry through in-home demonstrations, recently recognized Lisa Lawlor as an Excellent Beginnings Program Achiever for outstanding sales accomplishments and professionalism.

Coastal Enterprises Inc. recently awarded Tim Accord, broker of Coldwell Banker Realty in Brunswick, with the Sustaining Community award; Chet Randall, staff attorney at Pine Tree Legal Assistance in Portland with the Founder’s award; and Geoff Gattis, executive president of commercial lending at Bath Savings Institution, was recognized for leadership on its board of directors.

Weichert Realtors-Waterglen Group in Portland recently recognized Mary Desjardin, manager of Weichert Realtors in Old Orchard Beach, as their top salesperson in January 2010.

DennyMike, a maker of barbecue sauces and rubs in York, recently brought home seven awards from the 19th Annual National Barbecue Association’s Conference and Expo in Memphis, Tenn.

Bill McQuaid, chief information officer of Parkview Adventist Medical Center in Brunswick, was recently nominated chief security officer of the year by SC Magazine, a monthly print publication for computer security professionals.

Gov. John Baldacci recently recognized Reed & Reed, a general contracting firm in Woolwich, for providing a safe and healthy work environment for employees.

Keith Jacques, a partner with Smith, Elliot, Smith & Garmey in Saco, was recently named one of Maine’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers for 2009 by the American Trial Lawyers Association in Dothan, Ala. Jacques was also named to the NCAA Division III Committee on Infractions of Indianapolis.

The New England Board of Higher Education in Boston recently honored College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor with The Robert J. McKenna Award For Program Achievement and Henry Bourgeois, executive director of Maine Compact for Higher Education, with a State Merit Award.

Pat Penley of Geiger Promotional, a promotional products business in Lewiston, was recently honored by the New England Promotional Products Association for a 2009 Humanitarian Award for his ongoing work with the Kora Shrine and Advocates for Children organizations.