In short from Sept. 20, 2010 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New hires

MACTEC Engineering and Consulting Inc. in Portland recently hired Brandon Newman, an environmental engineer, to its design service center; Ryan Mankowski as an environmental staff scientist; Lucas Benedict as a project scientist; Steven Martel as a senior mechanical engineer; Karl Ladner as a senior environmental technician; Linda Marie Taylor as an administrative assistant; Peter Collopy as a principal health physicist; Bryan Tarbell as a project engineer; Stephen Costello as a senior construction manager; William Long as a construction superintendent; and Jeri Kiburz as a senior environmental technician.

Design Group Collaborative, an architecture, design and planning firm in Portland, recently hired architects Elizabeth Schidzig and Walter Arsenault as senior associates.

Portland Webworks in Portland recently hired Michele Landry as a business analyst. Previously, Landry was a systems analyst at Cole Haan.

St.Germain Collins, an environmental consulting and engineering firm in Westbrook, recently hired Robin Johnson as an office administrator and Jim Belanger as an accounts administrator.

Drummond Woodsum, a law firm in Portland, recently hired Janet Ledoux as a real estate paralegal.

Spectacular Event Center & Catering Co. in Bangor recently hired Kristen Wallace to its wedding sales position.

Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor recently hired Lawrence Barrett as president. Previously, Barrett was vice chancellor of enrollment management and student services at Purdue University North Central in Westville, Ind. The college also hired Harold Casey as an instructor in the computer systems program; Richard Gomm as a faculty member of the refrigeration, air conditioning and heating program; Dan McKay to teach in the diesel, truck and heavy equipment program; Arthur Jasmin as construction manager for the Pathways Out of Poverty program; Joe Kennedy as the office manager for the emergency medical services program and its Northeastern Maine EMS Council Inc.; and Alexa Natali as an academic support specialist at its academic support center.

Bridgton Hospital in Bridgton recently hired R. David Frum as president. Previously, Frum was president and CEO of Saint Catherine Regional Hospital in Charlestown, Ind.

R.W. Gillespie & Associates Inc., an engineering consulting firm in Saco, recently hired Alex Strugatskiy as a geotechnical technologist. Previously, Strugatskiy was an environmental specialist in the state of Maine’s radiation control program.

HCP Computer and Business Solutions in Carmel recently hired Roger Clukey as a technical sales representative.

Crossroads for Women in Portland, a provider of treatment for substance abuse and mental health specialized for women, recently hired the following: Christine McNulty Grant as manager of its residential rehabilitation program in Windham; Christina Fay and Mary Anne Roy as outpatient counselors; Kathleen Penna as administrative assistant at its Kennebunk Counseling Center; and Lisa Merrill as executive administrative assistant.

Modern Pest Services in Brunswick recently hired John King as its contact center manager. Previously, King worked at Atlantic Title Co. in South Portland.

TD Bank recently hired Allison Bryant as manager of its branch at the Great Falls Plaza in Auburn.

The Maine Association for Charter Schools recently hired Dorothy Havey as community organizer.

Dielectric Communications, a division of SPX and a manufacturer of broadcast antenna systems for radio, mobile media and television in Raymond, recently hired Mark Galewski as chief financial officer.

RE/MAX By The Bay in Portland recently hired Dick Lucas as a broker. Previously, Lucas was president of KeyBank Maine District.

KG Partners in Portland, an advertising, public relations and interactive agency, recently hired Michael Graham as director of strategic planning.

Mainelymara.com, a member-based shopping site based in Portland, recently hired Keriann Russell as a project manager.

The Maine Chapter of March of Dimes recently hired Erin O’Connor Jones as state director.

Maurices, a specialty clothing store in Topsham, recently hired Nancy Hickson as store manager.

Promotions

The Portland Museum of Art recently promoted Lauren Silverson to registrar. Previously, Silverson was associate registrar.

Coastal Enterprises Inc., a nonprofit in Wiscasset that provides business lending and support, recently promoted Ellen Golden to managing director of CEI Investment Notes Inc. and Gray Harris to director of agriculture resources and programs.

Northeast Bank recently promoted Tracy Gammon to branch manager of its Poland location.

FISC Solutions in Lewiston, a provider of services to financial institutions, recently promoted Bonnie Thomas to processing services director.

Saint Joseph’s College in Standish recently promoted Nikolas Ray to director of admissions.

Crossroads for Women in Portland, a provider of treatment for substance abuse and mental health specialized for women, recently promoted Colleen Jillson and Julie Daignault to counselors at its halfway house in Portland.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in South Portland recently promoted Lee Centeno to director of business change management.

Legacy Publishing Co. in Westbrook, a producer and publisher of personal development products for families, recently promoted Mary Crowley to assistant manager of inbound sales.

The Corner Room Kitchen & Bar in Portland recently promoted Jordan Scott to bar manager.

Appointments

The Institute for Civic Leadership in Portland recently elected the following members to its board of directors for the 2010-2011 year: Stephen Eddy, vice president and fiduciary consultant at Investment Management and Consulting Group; Barbara Nash, vice president of corporate research at Unum; Linda Mae Ruterbories, director of the Orthopaedic Surgery Center at Orthopaedic Associates; and Michael Stillings, principal at Baker Newman Noyes.

Anne-Marie Storey, a partner at Rudman & Winchell, a law firm in Bangor, has been named to the board of the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor.

Pine Tree Society in Bath, a statewide organization serving children and adults with disabilities, recently named the following to its board of directors: Donald Borman, commercial realtor; Paul Jacques, deputy commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; Donna Murphy, communications manager of Maine Mental Health Partners; Stefa Normantas, co-owner of Green Tree Event Consultants/Giraffe Events; and Chris Pierce, chairman of Dingley Press.

The Portland Regional Chamber recently appointed the following board members: Anne Gauthier of National Semiconductor, chair of the board; Jim Cohen of Verrill Dana, vice chair; and Al Swallow of Maine Medical Center, treasurer.

Paul Stone, head ski coach at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, was recently elected by NCAA ski coaches nationwide to be president of the United States Collegiate Skiing Coaches Association.

Charles Nickerson, president of R.W. Gillespie & Associates, a consulting firm in Saco, was recently appointed to Central Maine Community College’s Architectural and Civil Engineering Program Advisory Committee.

Midcoast Magnet appointed the following to its board of directors: Amanda Roberson Austin of 2A Architects in Rockport; Jeff Gnecco of J. Miller & Associates in Thomaston; and Karen Menunie of CORIE LLC in Rockland.

Charles Lyons, president of York County Community College, was recently appointed to the Maine Compact for Higher Education board of directors.

Sean O’Hare, an accountant at accounting firm O’Hare Associates in Portland, was recently named president of the Maine Society of CPA’s for a two-year term.

Company news

The Maine Center for Constitutional Studies announces the launch of its streaming Internet radio station, wMCCS, designed primarily to provide 24-7-365 broadcast of educational and talk radio over a musical backbone.

Gorham-based commercial builders Great Falls Construction recently completed building the second of two new Johnny Rockets burger stands in southern Maine, one in the Maine Mall food court and the other in Freeport Village Station.

The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced the following community agencies will receive $7 million in additional funding for weatherization projects: Aroostook County Action Program in Presque Isle; Community Concepts Inc. in South Paris; Kennebec Valley Community Action Program in Waterville; Penquis Community Action Program in Bangor; Waldo Community Action Partners in Belfast; and Western Maine Community Action in East Wilton.

The Department of Justice has awarded $297,733 to the Maine State Bureau of Identification, a bureau of the Maine State Police and Department of Public Safety, to assist in enhancing the state’s sex offender registration and notification programs.

The Riverton Elementary School in Portland recently announced it will receive a $3,386,154 federal grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to fund professional learning and curriculum development.

KeyBank recently introduced its KeyBank Plus service in Maine, which will cash checks and offer nontraditional products and services to residents without bank accounts. The first phase of KeyBank Plus was launched at six Maine branches Aug. 16.

The Maine Community Foundation recently announced it is accepting applications for the 2010 Noyce Award for Nonprofit Excellence, which comes with a $10,000 unrestricted grant.

Legacy Publishing Co., a producer of self-help products for families and couples in Westbrook, recently launched a new employment website, www.goodnewsgoodjobs.com.

The Forest Guild recently announced it received a 2010 Conservation Innovation Grant to promote adoption of innovative practices for sustainable forest biomass harvesting in Maine.

Skowhegan Savings opened its 10th office on Aug. 20 in Jackman.

Juiced Apparel, a boutique clothing retailer in Portland, recently announced the release of its NFL designer T-shirts.

Accidental Anomalies, located in Turner, recently donated handrails to the town of Turner for the Boofy Quimby Memorial Center in North Turner.

Gov. John Baldacci recently announced that Maine has won approval from the Office of the National Coordinator, an office of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, for a grant of nearly $6.6 million to expand and coordinate health information technology throughout the state.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, through its Volunteer Generation Fund, recently awarded a $300,000 grant to the Maine Commission for Community Service to recruit, manage and retain more volunteers to address pressing local needs in Maine.

The Finance Authority of Maine was recently notified by the U.S. Department of Education that Maine has been awarded a $1.5 million College Access Challenge Grant for fiscal year 2011. Available monies are to be used by states on efforts to increase college access and success among underserved student populations.

Jade Trade, a provider of health and wellness services in Portland, recently announced it has changed its name to Jade Integrated Health.

The Maine Clean Boatyards & Marinas Program recently presented its Designated Clean Marinas certificate to Maine Yacht Center in Portland.

St. Germain Collins, an environmental consulting and engineering firm in Westbrook, recently announced that Brian Bachmann has become a Maine certified geologist after approval of his qualifications and passing the technical exam.

The Bates College biology department recently received a grant of $250,000 from The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations to support new investment in personnel, facilities and student research.

SimplexGrinnell, a Tyco International company in Westbrook, recently announced it was awarded contracts to provide fire alarm and integrated security systems for the Portland International Jetport terminal expansion project.

Maine Manufacturing in Sanford recently achieved the ISO 9001:2008 certification from the International Standardization Organization.

Barbara Dee recently announced the opening of Special Education Advocates in South Portland, a practice to provide advocacy, information and consultation for parents of children with disabilities.

Jobg8, an online job recruitment company in Portland, recently announced its integration with JobMount, a job board software product of Aspen Technology Labs, a job board and career site software agency headquartered in Aspen, Colo.

Patricia Capouch, executive director of the Frannie Peabody Center, recently graduated from the UCLA/ Johnson & Johnson Health Care Executive Program, which is designed to enhance the management and leadership skills of community-based health care and health-related organization executives.

Katahdin Bankshares Corp., parent company of Katahdin Trust Co. in Houlton, recently announced that it has declared a cash dividend of $.082 per share for the third quarter of 2010. The dividend will be payable on Sept. 27 to all shareholders of record as of Sept.13.

Portland-based MaineNewsSimply, an online news and information aggregate, recently announced it now provides complete weather information through a new partnership with News 8 and WMTW.com.

The Down East Business Alliance recently received a $10,000 grant from the Quimby Family Foundation to support its annual Maine Farmers’ Market Convention and its work to help establish a Maine Farmers’ Market Association.

Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker, an accounting firm in Portland, recently announced that Vienna Shea, a consultant in the firm’s management and information technology consulting group, has obtained the Certified Information Systems Auditor certification from the Information Systems Audit and Control Association.

KAPPA Mapping Inc., an aerial mapping service in Bangor, recently announced that it has completed a multi-faceted contract with the city of Portland to update Cliff, Peaks and Cushing islands’ orthophotos and develop mainland drainage-pattern data in support of the stormwater compliance program.

Accolades

Storreytime, a manufacturer of corporate apparel, uniforms and promotional items in Portland, recently announced it was named to the Inc. 500/5000 list, a compilation of the most entrepreneurial and fastest-growing companies in America.

Melissa Anderson Duffy of Duffy Anderson Investment Management Inc. in Cumberland Foreside was recently named one of the Top 100 Independent Advisors in America by Registered Rep. magazine, a financial services industry publication.

Rob Gips, an attorney with Drummond Woodsum in Portland, was recently named one of the top seven practitioners of Native American law in the U.S. from Chambers USA, a legal directory of the country’s leading business lawyers and law firms.

Dean’sSweets in Portland won in six categories at the 2010 Northeast Luxury Chocolate Salon Awards in Boston on Aug. 29.

Bangor Savings Bank was recently named 2010 Best Bank in the Greater Bangor area by the organization BestOfSurveys.com, a division of Market Surveys of America, which conducts annual consumer-related market research.

John McCallum, managing partner of Portland law firm Robinson, Kriger & McCallum, has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2011 edition of the Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of workers’ compensation law.

Emerge Maine recently hosted its first woman of the year celebration and honored Millie MacFarland, clerk of the Maine House, as its woman of the year.

The Independent Insurance Agents of America recently selected GHM Insurance Agency, with offices in Waterville, Augusta and Auburn, as a 2010 Best Practices Agency.

Spotlight

The Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council and the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce recently announced the launch of an entrepreneurial contest, according to a press release from the council.

The program, called Launch L-A!, invites young entrepreneurs to submit a proposal to start a business in Lewiston or Auburn. Entries will be screened by a committee of business and banking professionals who will judge the ideas on a number of criteria, including creativity, viability and community need. Finalists will be voted upon electronically by community members of Lewiston and Auburn in January 2011.

The winning entrepreneur will receive an equity infusion of $10,000-$20,000 seed money, along with a number of in-kind services for a year, including business consulting, accounting services, legal fees, advertising agency services, rent and more, provided by chamber members.