In short from Oct. 19, 2009 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New Hires

Portland Webworks, a web application and software development firm based in Portland, recently hired Benjamin Knight as a developer and John Stoltenborg as a project manager.

Southern Maine Community College in South Portland recently hired Amy Reynolds as a graphic designer. Previously, Reynolds was a graphic designer at Portland Magazine.

The Eaton Peabody Consulting Group in Augusta, an economic development consulting firm for private business and communities in Maine, recently hired Don Gerrish as a consultant. Previously, Gerrish was the Brunswick town manager.

The Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber of Commerce recently hired Steven Wallace as its president and executive director. Previously, Wallace was the executive director of the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce.

Daigle Commercial Group Inc. in Portland recently hired Daren Hebold as a commercial real estate broker. Hebold was also recently awarded the Certified Commercial Investment Member designation from the CCIM Institute after successfully passing the final examination in Chicago, Ill. Sebago Technics Inc., a consulting engineering firm in Westbrook, recently hired Pengfei Li as a senior transportation engineer.

Piper Shores, a nonprofit retirement community in Scarborough, recently hired Kevin Eames as facilities director. Previously, Eames was the facilities director at the Portland Museum of Art.

Macdonald Page and Co., a certified public accounting firm with offices in South Portland and Augusta, recently hired Alyssa Yohman as a staff accountant and Laurie Brochu as a manager.

MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta recently hired John McCallister, a pediatrician, to its Kennebec Pediatrics. Previously, McCallister was a director and practitioner at St. Jude Medical Center’s Midwest affiliate in Peoria, Ill.

Franklin Chrysler Inc. in Farmington recently hired Steve Gray as general manager.

Saunders Electronics, an electronics manufacturing services provider in South Portland, recently hired Dennis Vandi as director of operations.

Richard Renner Architects in Portland recently hired Charles Young as an architect, Teresa Telander as an architectural designer and Abigail Dowd as office manager.

HealthReach Community Health Center in Waterville recently hired Amethyst Arceo to its Bingham Area Health Center’s medical staff.

Baker Newman Noyes, an accounting firm in Portland, recently hired Madeline Tipton as an information technology consulting division manager, Corey Susca as an administrative assistant and Matt Dionne as a help desk analyst. The company also hired the following new accountants: Lorie Albert, Adam Berger, Nate Ellis, Jesse Ferreira, Griffin Hardy, Keith Jones, Brendan Kerneza, Stephanie Wuenscher, Karen Brunette, David Cloutier, Janelle Crump, Amanda McEneaney and Jessica St. Pierre.

Promotions

Woodard and Curran, an integrated engineering, science, and operations company in Portland, recently promoted the following four people to senior vice presidents of the firm: Jim Ekedahl; Bill Luksha; Tracy Planinsek; and Lloyd Snyder.

Baker Newman Noyes, an accounting firm in Portland, recently promoted Eric Maynard to help desk analyst II.

Appointments

Spring Harbor Community Services, a Portland-based nonprofit that provides mental health care and psychiatric and administrative management services, recently appointed the following: Annie Wells, a founding member of the Spring Harbor Development Committee in Westbrook, as chair of the board; Roger Woodman, founding trustee of Maine Mental Health Partners in South Portland, as vice chair of the board; and Ann Donaghy, retired Maine banking executive, as secretary.

Robert Lingley, an attorney at law firm Rudman and Winchell in Bangor, was recently named board of directors president of Pine Tree Legal Assistance, a statewide nonprofit that provides free legal assistance to low-income Mainers.

Company News

Oxford Networks, a communications provider based in Lewiston, recently announced the completion of its fiber optic network to Boston. The company also announced the completion of its fiber distribution network in southern Maine, and the completion of phase 2 of the University of Maine’s Research and Education network to Boston.

Career Management Associates, a Portland-based human resources and career management consulting firm, was recently purchased by David Ciullo. Former owner Mark Rajotte will remain with Career Management Associates as executive vice president.

Herring Gut Learning Center in Port Clyde, a nonprofit educational facility serving several school districts in the Midcoast, recently received $95,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education to expand its marine science and aquaculture programs through curriculum development and facility upgrades.

Comperio, an enterprise search technology and consulting company in Yarmouth, recently formed a relationship with the United Nations Children’s Fund, which addresses the long-term needs of children and women in developing countries, to improve the fund’s international website.

The Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce recently announced the following new members: Bangor Savings Bank in Rockland; Blueberry Stone Co. in Rockland; Continuum Physical Therapy in Rockland; Dell Essency in Rockland; Glen Cove Inn and Suites in Rockland; Hall Landscaping in Rockland; The Harbor House in Littleton; Louise King and Kingfish Studio in Friendship; Meandering Maine in West Rockport; and Winding Way Watercolors Studio and Gallery in Rockport. The Translational Research Program at the Maine Center for Cancer Medicine in Scarborough, which works to bring laboratory advances to the clinic, has been awarded three research grants for its studies on methods to select treatments for lung cancer and brain cancer patients that will offer the highest likelihood of success with the fewest side effects. 

Bangor International Airport recently received funding of $2.5 million for phase II of its cargo aircraft parking apron reconstruction. The funding consists of a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for $2,430,000 and $60,750 from the Maine Department of Transportation. The airport provided matching funds of $60,750. The construction for phase II is scheduled to be completed by the end of the 2009.

Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington recently purchased a Siemens Symbia S nuclear medicine camera imaging system, ideal for the early detection and staging of cancer, heart disease and other hard-to-diagnose disorders.

The Portland Marriott at Sable Oaks in Portland recently completed a $4.5 million renovation that included a new lobby, a new business library, a renovated indoor pool with hot tub, refurbished guest rooms and an updated lounge and restaurant.

Julia Munsey, marketing and public relations specialist at Oxford Networks in Lewiston, recently completed the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations, entitling her to use the APR professional designation.

Westbrook-based JobsInTheUS.com, a network of state-specific online recruitment resources, recently announced it is offering new package options for businesses in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island. The services include searchable resumes, printable applications, applicant screening questions, “now hiring” banner advertising, logo hosting, customized company profiles and job wrapping.

Gene McKeever, an insurer with Camden-based insurance agency the Allen Agency, recently served as an official subject matter expert of questions for the property casualty producer license exams given by the Maine Bureau of Insurance.

Coastal Enterprises Inc., headquartered in Wiscasset, was recently selected to receive a $750,000 intermediary relending program loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development agency. The funding will be used to provide low-interest loans to public and nonprofit organizations to relend for business and community development. The funding is expected to save or create 72 jobs and assist 12 businesses.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Maine Marine Trades Association recently announced the launch of the Clean Marine Engine Program. The program, which will repower approximately 40 commercial vessels including fishing boats, excursion boats, small ferries and mail boats with new fuel-efficient engines, will be funded by the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

MaineGeneral Medical Center’s Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care in Augusta recently implemented a new application of 3D ultrasound technology called the Clarity Prostate System to address prostate movement and provide more precise guidance in prostate cancer treatment planning and delivery.

Downeast Energy and Building Supply in Brunswick recently announced it is donating $50,000 to heat assistance programs in Maine and southern New Hampshire. The money is being allocated to more than 15 organizations including Tri-Valley United Way, York County Community Action, United Way of Kennebec Valley, the town of South Portland’s heat assistance program, the town of Freeport, the New Hampshire National Guard Chaplain’s Emergency, Camden Worthy Poor, Keeping Neighbors Warm in Biddeford and the Rockland Heat Assistance Fund.

Portland-based Planet Dog, a manufacturer of dog products, recently enlisted the services of Pet Food Experts of Cumberland, R.I., to distribute products in New England, the New York metro area and eastern upstate New York.

Skanden Energy Inc. in Sumner, a supplier of high-performance biomass heating systems, recently announced it is working with local contractors to install wood pellet boilers at Strong and Kingfield elementary schools under a $1.08 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, and is offering to help others convert to green energy.

Absolute Marketing and Design in Lewiston recently completed its integration with Marketap Solutions in Cumberland Center and can now incorporate market analysis and segmentation modeling into their service offering.

Giroux Oil Service Co. in Portland recently announced its new name, Giroux Energy Solutions, which represents the company’s expansion into additional fuel resources including propane, bioheat and solar technologies.

The Maine Health Access Foundation in Augusta recently announced it will provide scholarship funding to Maine’s statewide Health Leadership Development program over the next three years to support greater collaboration among future leaders across the state.

207ME.com in Mars Hill recently announced the general availability of its 207ME dedicated high-speed Internet service in over 100 Maine cities and towns where FairPoint telephone service exists.

York County Community College in Wells recently reported that its fall 2009 semester admissions are up 32% from September 2008.

Berry, Dunn, McNeil and Parker, a public accounting and management firm in Portland, recently announced that Arthur Marshall was awarded the Certified Business Appraiser credential, a professional certification in the field of business valuation that is granted to individuals who complete educational, experience and work product review requirements. The company also announced that Dan Vogt has been awarded the Certified Professional in Electronic Health Records credential and Caitlyn Sherry has been awarded the Accredited Valuation Analyst credential.

Northeast Coffee Co. in Skowhegan recently announced the launch of its new website, www.northeastcoffeeco.com. The new site, designed by Marshall Interactive in Augusta, provides one-stop shopping for online purchases of coffee and tea products.

Cindy Bryant, a staff member at the Cancer Care Center at Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport, was recently certified as an oncology nurse from the Oncology Nursing Certification Corp. Penobscot Bay Medical Center was also recently awarded a three-year term of accreditation in digital mammography as the result of a recent survey by the American College of Radiology.

Blue Marble Geographics, a developer and provider of geographic software products in Gardiner, recently held its first users conference at the Marriott Westchase in Houston, Texas on Sept. 17.

The Swan Agency Sotheby’s International Realty in Bar Harbor recently announced the launch of its new niche marketing group, Historic Homes of Maine. 

Nationally syndicated game show Wheel of Fortune recently featured a travel package from the Bluenose Inn in Bar Harbor as the show’s grand prize.

Forrest West, a medical provider at Lovejoy Health Center in Albion, was recently recertified by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Camden National Corp. recently announced that its board of directors declared a $0.25 per share dividend payable on Oct. 30 for shareholders of record on Oct. 15.

John Porter, former editorial page editor of the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, recently formed John Porter Public Strategies, a media and public relations service company in Portland.

ImmuCell Corp., a public animal health biotechnology company in Portland, recently announced the initial results from its effectiveness study of Mast Out. In a study of approximately 300 qualified cows with subclinical mastitis that was conducted at 16 sites across the United States, the Mast Out treatment group showed a statistically highly significant overall cure rate in comparison to the placebo group.

Accolades

Portland-based Maine Medical Center and Maine Pediatric Specialty Group have been selected as a 2009 recipient of the annual Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Quality Care award, which recognizes outstanding quality improvement processes and accomplishments.

Portland Public Schools Superintendent James Morse recently received a 2009 Giraffe award from the Maine Children’s Alliance for his work to improve the lives of Maine children.

Portland-based law firm Pierce Atwood recently announced that Gloria Pinza, managing partner, has been named as one of 21 honorees for the 2009 Direct Women Board Institute, a program designed to identify and promote qualified women lawyers to serve on corporate boards of public companies.

Norway Savings Bank recently won two American Bankers Association 2009 Financial Marketing awards for its Colorful Solutions campaign.

Edward Simmons and Gibson Wilkes of the Simmons Wilkes Group in Merrill Lynch’s Portland office were recently ranked the top team in Maine in Research Magazine’s top-ranked advisor teams in America.

George Schelling, president and senior partner of Gross Minsky and Mogul, a general practice law firm in Bangor, was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2010 in the field of medical malpractice law. 

Vladimir Lenchuk, an associate at Volk Packaging Corp. in Biddeford, recently received the company’s Benjamin Volk Award for Excellence.

The SFI Implementation Committee of Maine recently won the 11th annual Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee national achievement award for a combination of activities promoting responsible forest management and community outreach.

Michelle Abbott, a nurse at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, was the recipient of a special merit award for her outstanding contributions to Maine emergency nurses. The award was presented to Abbott during the fall meeting of the Maine Chapter of the Emergency Nurses Association.

Reed and Reed, a construction company and wind power contractor in Woolwich, recently received the Excellence in Safety in the Wind Power Industry award from the Safety and Health Council of Northern New England. Reed and Reed was also recently selected by the Maine Development Foundation as one of this year’s Champions of Economic Development.

S E A Consultants Inc. in Augusta, an engineering and architecture firm, was recently named to the CE News and Structural Engineer top performers list, which highlights the nation’s most successful civil and structural engineering firms. The selected firms were featured in the September 2009 issue of CE News and will appear in the November 2009 issue of Structural Engineer.

Donna DeBlois, executive director of the Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care and Hospice in Rockland, was recently given the distinguished service award from the Home Care and Hospice Alliance of Maine. Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care and Hospice also named Wanda Armstrong, a certified nursing assistant, employee of the quarter.