In short from Oct. 17, 2011 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New Hires

Norton Lamb & Co., an IT services provider in Falmouth, hired Michael Guerrette as a systems engineer.

Wright Express Corp., a provider of business payment processing and information management services in South Portland, recently hired Michael Strempek as executive assistant to Hilary Rapkin, senior vice president and general counsel.

Tilson Technology Management, an IT services provider in Portland, recently hired Lisa Grant as a project coordinator in its wireless and telecommunications group.

Oakhurst Dairy in Portland recently hired W. Edward Crockett as retail sales director.

Macdonald Page & Co., an accounting firm in South Portland, recently hired Erin Larson as a manager.

Resilient Tier-V Corp., a secure data center in Brunswick, recently hired Matt Jacobson as executive vice president of corporate development. Previously, Jacobson was president and CEO of Maine & Co.

Penobscot Community Health Care recently hired Teagan O’Toole-Roy as a certified physician assistant at Penobscot Community Health Center in Bangor.

The Brand Co., a brand development and marketing firm in Portland, recently hired Belinda Thomas as creative director.

MPX, a print service provider in Portland, recently hired Tim Cole as chief operating officer.

Camden National Bank recently hired Nancy Tracy as vice president, retail regional manager for the southern and central regions of Maine.

The Principal Financial Group recently hired Janvier Smith as senior financial services representative for its Northeast Business Center in Topsham.

Maine State Housing Authority recently hired Deborah Turcotte as public information manager. Previously, Turcotte was a public relations representative at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Consigli Construction Co. Inc. recently hired Kevin McCosh as project manager and Logan Ouellette as project engineer to its Portland office.

The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce recently hired Catherine Wygant as executive director. Previously, Wygant was director of business development at Hurley Travel Experts in Portland.

BerryDunn, an accounting firm in Portland, recently hired Bridget Burke as a tax specialist in its tax industry group.

Adventurous Joe Coffee, a coffee company in Portland, recently hired John Connelly as CEO.

Burns & McDonnell, an engineering firm in New Gloucester, recently hired Vishal Verma as a project controls manager.

Winxnet, a Portland-based IT service provider, recently hired Kyle Miller as a help desk technician.

Patriot Insurance Co. in Yarmouth recently hired Steve Gilbreath as senior appraiser, claims department.

Great Falls Construction in Gorham recently hired Jeffrey Barker as a project manager.

USI New England, an insurance provider in South Portland, recently hired Chris Chapman as East Coast consultant for Alpine Shield, a product of USI New England.

Central Maine Moving and Storage in Bangor recently hired James Berry as a household and corporate relocation specialist.

Androscoggin Bank in Lewiston recently hired Barry Kohler as senior vice president and director of trust and investment services for its AndroscogginTrust.

TD Insurance Inc. in Portland recently hired Karen Nash as assistant vice president, account administration manager in employee benefits.

Sub Sea Research, a shipwreck research, development and exploration company in Gorham, recently hired Robert Muller as vice president.

Northcross Group, a management and technology consulting services firm in Portland, recently hired Megan Sullivan as a systems analyst.

The Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle recently hired Frank Pytlak as an instructor for its residential construction program, Shelli Cronkhite as a social sciences instructor, Sandy Pelletier as a nursing instructor, Lynne Manion as a communication instructor and Johna Lovely as a counselor and student development specialist.

Promotions

Norton Lamb & Co., an IT services provider in Falmouth, recently promoted David Johnson to lead solution architect.

Central Maine Orthopaedics in Auburn recently promoted Stacey Martin to coordinator for its workers’ compensation program. Previously, Martin was a medical triage assistant.

Kennebec Savings Bank in Augusta recently promoted Marie Charest to assistant vice president and compliance officer.

ABC Supply Co. Inc., a building products distributor in Portland, recently promoted Mike Reilly to managing partner.

Spring Harbor Hospital in Westbrook recently promoted Joyce Cotton to chief clinical and nursing officer.

Hollywood Slots Hotel and Raceway in Bangor recently promoted Rachel Bailey to director of finance and Michele Collins to director of marketing. Hollywood Slots also promoted Steve Lambert to vice president of operations at its Bullwhackers Casino in Black Hawk, Colo.

U.S. Cellular in Portland recently promoted Matthew Arnold to service manager for New England.

Nexus Management, an IT managed services provider in Brunswick, recently promoted Kean Brown to Windows team leader.

Great Falls Construction in Gorham recently promoted Darren Shiers to business operations manager, Todd Rothstein to business development manager and Aaron Bourassa to senior project manager.

Appointments

United Way of York County recently appointed Michael Brigham, president and CEO of ImmuCell Corp., an animal health biotechnology company in Portland, to its board of directors.

Bath Savings Institution recently appointed Esther Pappas, chief financial officer at Pende Associates Inc., to vice chairman of the board of trustees.

James Cohen, an attorney at Portland-based law firm Verrill Dana, was recently appointed to the steering committee for the Federal Communications Bar Association, New England Chapter. Bill Knowles, a partner at Verrill Dana, was elected as chairman of the board of directors of Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc.

The Central Maine Human Resource Association in Lewiston recently announced the following officers for 2011-2013: Barbara Lovejoy, president; Tina Kelly, vice president of membership; Christine Clabby, secretary; Lisa Dumont, treasurer; Amie Parker, website developer and Jessica Palladino, past president.

The Maine Center for Creativity recently appointed Mary Noyes as a board member.

Spotlight

The Reny family, which owns and operates the Renys chain of stores across Maine, is preparing to gift its three-story building in Biddeford to the arts organization Engine, according to a press release from the family.

Located at 129 Main St. in downtown Biddeford, the historic 19,000-square-foot building was built around 1900 and features a former community theater on the third floor. Most recently, the building housed the Biddeford branch of Reny’s, but it has sat vacant since the store’s relocation to Saco in 2008.

Over the next two months, Engine will work with Caleb Johnson Architects in Biddeford and Thread, a development firm in Biddeford, to undertake a feasibility study, examine the property and explore the building’s potential and possible uses. Once the planning process is complete, Engine intends to take ownership of the building before January 2012.

Company News

The University of Maine Alumni Association recently announced its partnership with PowerPay, a provider of payment processing services in Portland, to enable University of Maine alumni-owned or operated businesses and their supporters to generate an ongoing stream of funding for the association by processing credit card transactions.

Elizabeth McNally, a chiropractor with Portland Chiropractic Neurology was recently certified by the American Chiropractic Neurology Board as a chiropractic neurologist.

The Piscataquis County Economic Development Council has received a $400,000 grant from the Communities for Maine’s Future bond program for the town of Dover-Foxcroft to construct a walking trail along the Piscataquis River and to rehabilitate the second floor of Central Hall. The council also received an $18,000 grant for the Moosehead Lake region to plan and design a multiuse snowmobile and ATV trail linking the Greenville Junction Trailhead and the Prong Pond Trailhead from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through its Rural Business Enterprise Grant program.

Evergreen Home Performance, an energy-efficiency contractor in Rockland, recently announced it has created a new marketing and public relations team.

E.S. Boulos, an electrical contractor in Westbrook, recently announced it has begun electrical construction of the Maine Medical Center’s Cancer Care Complex expansion project on the Scarborough campus. The 55,000-square-foot expansion will include new women’s diagnostic imaging, IV therapy, radiation therapy, clinics and conference areas.

The First Bancorp recently declared a quarterly dividend of 19.5 cents per share. This third-quarter dividend, payable Oct. 28, to shareholders of record as of Oct. 5, is equal to the 19.5 cents per share declared in the previous 12 quarters.

The American Heart Association recently awarded research funds to the following University of New England professors: Renee LeClair, assistant professor of biochemistry and nutrition, a scientist development grant of $307,372 over four years; Deena Small, associate professor of chemistry and physics, a three-year Founder’s Affiliate Grant-in-Aid award of $198,000; and Colin Willis, assistant professor of pharmacology, a scientist development grant of $231,000 over the next three years.

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in Boothbay Harbor recently received a $100,000 grant from the Doree Taylor Charitable Foundation. The funds will be used to help support the laboratory’s expanding operations over the next two years. Bigelow Laboratory also recently signed an agreement with Satlantic Inc., an advanced ocean technology company based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that develops precision optical sensors for aquatic research and water quality monitoring. The agreement provides Satlantic with exclusive rights to Bigelow Laboratory’s Underway Aiming System software developed by senior research scientist Barney Balch and research associate Bruce Bowler.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maine in Bangor recently awarded grants to the following nonprofit organizations: Acadia Hospital, Bangor, $13,800 for scholarships and adventure and safety supplies for the summer camp program; Camp Capella, Holden, $12,589 for a new arts and crafts cabin; Hardy Girls/Healthy Women, Waterville, $14,010 to support the From Adversaries to Allies program; L/A Arts, Lewiston/Auburn, $3,750 for project supplies for the After School Residency and Young Artists Program; Project Adventure, Vinalhaven, $6,000 for Adventure in Fitness in-school program; Nobleboro Central School, Nobleboro, $12,500 from the Maine charity and a matching national grant of $12,500 from Ronald McDonald House Charities for new playground equipment; LearningWorks, Portland, $7,000 to fund training, classroom materials and transportation/field trips for the Afterschool Science Enhancement program; and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Southern Maine, $8,000 for the School-Based Mentoring Program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development recently awarded the following companies grants to reduce energy consumption: Lamey Wellehan in Auburn, $47,453 to assist in acquiring and installing a large solar photovoltaic system; Damariscotta Hardware Inc., Damariscotta, $60,892 to assist in acquiring and installing a solar photovoltaic system; Augusta Plaza Associates, Portland, $97,277 to assist in acquiring and installing a large solar photovoltaic system to its facility in Augusta; and The Cliff House and Motels Inc., Ogunquit, $100,000 to assist in acquiring and installing a large solar thermal system.

The Portland Museum of Art recently announced it will open the Winslow Homer Studio in Prouts Neck to the public in September 2012.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $930,909 to the Frannie Peabody Center in Portland as part of a national effort to offer permanent and transitional housing and support services to more than 200 households with families and individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

Theodora Kalikow, president of University of Maine at Farmington, recently announced that she will retire as of June 30, 2012.

Verrill Dana’s Banking & Financial Services Group recently announced the launch of its new blog, Banking Law Update, designed to serve as a resource for financial institutions and others interested in the industry.

Maine Specialty IPA, a Maine independent practice association, recently announced the addition of Plastic & Hand Surgical Associates and Coastal Women’s Health Care to its membership, which also includes Chest Medicine Associates, Portland Gastroenterology Associates, OA Centers for Orthopaedics and Spectrum Medical Group.

Black Bear Development recently announced an agreement with the Silverton Casino in Las Vegas to support the development and operations of Black Bear’s casino project in Oxford.

The Portland City Council unanimously endorsed the $33 million Cumberland County bond proposal for the modernization of the Cumberland County Civic Center.

The Nature Conservancy and the Forest Society of Maine have recently finalized a conservation easement to conserve nearly 10,000 acres of land in northwestern Maine, southwest of Jackman, which are nationally recognized for their ecological significance and are a destination for hikers, paddlers, hunters and anglers.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the Brewer Housing Authority $2.5 million to create early childhood education and adult training facilities for public housing residents.

Southern Maine Medical Center Visiting Nurses and HomeHealth Visiting Nurses have recently announced their intent to join operations effective Dec. 1. Both agencies are members of MaineHealth serving York County patients.

Sebago Brewing Co. in Gorham recently announced the release of its fall single-batch series beer, Octoberfest.

DennyMike’s, a maker of barbecue sauces and rubs in York, recently announced it has landed two major West Coast distributors, QFC and J.C. Wright, both based in Washington state.

Efficiency Maine recently announced it is accepting grant applications from commercial, municipal and nonprofit organizations across Maine for its new Competitive Program. Under this program, Maine businesses are able to compete for a portion of $4 million to fund large electrical energy-efficiency and distributed-generation projects. Funding for projects ranges from $100,000 to $500,000 per facility, and may not constitute more than 50% of the total project costs. The application deadline is Oct. 31.

Lambert Coffin, a law firm in Portland, recently announced the publication of Maine Human Resources Manual, a comprehensive how-to guide for Maine employers authored by attorneys John Lambert and Robyn March.

Maine Medical Center in Portland was recently awarded accreditation by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs.

The University Of New England recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Harold Alfond Athletics Complex at its campus in Biddeford.

Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington was recently awarded a three-year term of accreditation in computed tomography for adult and pediatric patients as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology.

Gretchen Legler, a creative writing professor at the University of Maine at Farmington, was recently named a 2011 Fulbright Scholar to the Kingdom of Bhutan.

Legacy Publishing Co., a Westbrook-based producer and publisher of personal development products for families, recently announced it will expand its sales operations in a 10,000-square-foot building in Westbrook that will be open 24 hours.

The University of New England and Southern Maine Medical Center recently announced that the University Health Care clinic at 655 U.S. Route 1 in Saco will expand and become an office of SMMC PrimeCare Physician Services, effective Dec. 31. As a result of this agreement, the office will become the site for SMMC PrimeCare Family Practice, SMMC Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine services and SMMC Walk-In Care.

Custom Composite Technologies Inc., a provider of composite structures in Bath, was recently awarded the contract to custom-build a four-man rowing shell mold for Resolute Rowing Shells in Bristol, R.I.

Tyler Raymond of Nexus Management, an IT managed services provider in Brunswick, recently attained Microsoft Certified IT professional status as an enterprise messaging administrator on Exchange 2010 and Lync Communication Server.

Accolades

The American Osteopathic Foundation recently selected University of New England professor Edward Bilsky as its 2011 Research Mentor of the Year for demonstrating excellence in research mentorship at all levels of osteopathic medical education.

Gail Kelly, state director for U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, was recently honored with the University of New England’s Deborah Morton Award.

Maine U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe recently received the Alice Award from the Sewall-Belmont House and Museum for her contributions in breaking barriers and setting new precedents for women.

Wood Dale, Ill.-based lia sophia, an in-home demonstration jewelry retailer, recently awarded Jen Black of Gorham with top honors through its Excellent Beginnings Program Achievers.

Kevin Raye, Maine Senate president, recently received the 2011 Director’s Award from University of Maine Composites Center for his contributions to the University of Maine’s research and development efforts and his leadership as the 114th President of the Maine Senate.

United Way of York County in Kennebunk recently announced that it was recognized by Volunteers of America Northern New England as a community service leader.

Bonney Staffing Center recently recognized Kevin Overlock as its Windham office’s 2011 Employee of the Year for his achievements while working on various assignments including warehouse, packing, production and assembly.

Wright Express Corp., a provider of business payment processing and information management services in South Portland, recently announced that Michael Dubyak, chairman, president and chief executive officer, received the Robert R. Masterton Award for Leadership in Economic Development from the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce. Laurie Inness, executive meeting manager at Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, was also honored with the Volunteer of the Year award from the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce for her volunteerism and enthusiastic commitment to chamber events.

Kathleen Montejo, Lewiston city clerk, recently received the Ethelyn Stuart Marthia Memorial Award from the Maine Town & City Clerks’ Association.

Karen Baldacci, first lady emeritus of Maine, recently received the Hope Award from the Leadership To Keep Children Alcohol Free Foundation, given to deserving emeritus spouses who have shown exceptional leadership after leaving the governor’s residence.

Boston magazine recently named Portland as a top spot for a fall getaway destination in its October issue.

Stephen Wipperman, a forest ranger with the Fire Control Division of the Maine Forest Service, was recently awarded the Graduate Forest Technician Achievement Award by the Council of Eastern Forest Technician Schools for his dedication, hard work and high ethical standards.

The readers of Meetings Focus East recently named The Cliff House Resort & Spa in Ogunquit one of the best meeting destinations.

Jesse Thompson, of Kaplan Thompson Architects in Portland, has received a national myMarvin Architect’s Challenge Award for his project, White Mountain View, located in Sweden, Maine.

Cindy Gray, a driver for Hannaford Bros. Co. in Scarborough, recently won the International Food Service Distribution Association’s national truck driving championship. Gray bested 53 drivers from 40 states to win the 5-axle, daily delivery competition.

U.S. News & World Report recently ranked the Maine School of Science and Mathematics in Limestone the 14th best math and science high school in the nation and the top in New England. The ranking is based on how well schools prepare students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics as measured by the proportion of students taking and passing college-level AP tests in those subjects.

The Department of the Secretary of State recently presented the Lorraine M. Fleury Award to Mary Lou Magno, a retired municipal clerk from Auburn, for her contributions to the election process.

Skelton, Taintor & Abbott, a law firm in Auburn, recently announced the following attorneys have been named to the 2012 edition of Best Lawyers: Jill Checkoway; Bryan Dench; Gretchen Jones; Ron Lebel; Michael Poulin; Alan Stone; and Steve Wade.

Jonathan Edgerton, senior vice president at Wright-Pierce, an engineering firm in Portland, recently received the Main Street Hero Award from the Maine Downtown Center for his commitment to revitalizing Maine’s downtowns.

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