🔒New hires, promotions and achievements from March 6, 2023

New hires

RE/MAX Shoreline in Portland hired Carol Lavigne as an associate broker and Aaron Rouse as a realtor in its Maine and New Hampshire offices.

Portland Trails hired Dana Totman as interim executive director. Totman is the former CEO of Avesta Housing.

Jackson Laboratory, a nonprofit biomedical research institution in Bar Harbor, hired Paul Flicek as its first chief data science officer. Flicek was most recently associate director at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory’s European Bioinformatics Institute in Heidelberg, Germany.

The Greater Portland Council of Governments hired Paul Johnson as senior economic development manager. Johnson was previously a Scarborough town councilor as well as a teacher at Cheverus High School and founder of Tulu Salon and Spa in Biddeford.

GHM Agency in Waterville hired Melissa Davenport as an account manager with its business insurance team.

Gardner Real Estate Group in Portland hired Erin Watson as a sales agent.

The Maine State Chamber of Commerce hired Julia Munsey as president. Munsey was membership and corporate development director for the Maine International Trade Center.

Genesis Community Loan Fund, a community development financial institution in Brunswick, hired Elyse Tipton as communications director and Gigi Guyton-Thompson as a loan officer and portfolio manager.

KeyBank in Portland hired Tom Womersley as senior middle market relationship manager on its Maine commercial banking team. Womersley was previously senior vice president within Jefferies’ leveraged finance group.

Promotions

Systems Engineering Inc., a Portland-based provider of managed IT and security services, promoted Eric Tennyson to CFO.

Dream Local Digital in Thomaston promoted Kasey Welch Ahlquist to chief marketing officer, Amber Anderson to COO, Alexx Chase to digital production manager, Mary Allen to assistant digital production manager and Kaye Nisbet to digital marketing manager.

Curtis Thaxter, a law firm in Portland, promoted Richard Olson to managing member and Emily Crowley to member. Olson provides counsel to businesses and entrepreneurs on a wide range of issues including sales and acquisitions, disputes, real estate and restructuring while Crowley’s practice focuses on business litigation and counseling small and mid-sized businesses on a variety of employment issues.

UScellular promoted Cody Vaughan to assistant manager in Brewer. Vaughan was previously a retail wireless consultant in Waterville.

R.M. Davis, a private wealth management firm based in Portland, promoted Dean Walker to COO; George Carr, Bob Davis, Hugh Judge and Dana Mitiguy to managing director, portfolio management; Vince Damasco to managing director, investment research; Natalie Solotoff to managing director, wealth management; Michele Whitmore to managing director, client service; Drew Blaney to vice president, finance; and Denise Vigneault to managing director, human resources.

Appointments

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced that Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Judy Camuso was appointed to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, the first person from Maine to ever serve on the international council.

Achievements

Gardner Real Estate Group in Portland announced that Hilary Bassett and Rob Richardson have both been licensed as associate brokers and Seth Holbrook and Grace O’Brien both passed their broker license certification test.

Julie Marchese, founder and race director of Maine Cancer Foundation’s Tri for a Cure, was the recipient of USA Triathlon’s “Inclusivity Award.”

Chad Higgins, a shareholder at Portland law firm Bernstein Shur, received a “Certificate of Recognition” from Michelle Wu, Mayor of Boston. Higgins worked for over a decade with the New England Innocence Project to secure Keyon Sprinkle’s freedom. Sprinkle, who served 20 years behind bars, was found to be wrongly convicted of first-degree murder at the age of 17.

Gorham Savings Bank said that Lesley Warn passed the Series 66, Series 7, and SIE securities exams. Warn is and assistant vice president, investment services representative at the bank.

Consolidated Communications, a broadband and business communications provider that has 625 employees based in Maine, announced that it was named a “U.S. Best-in-Class Employer” by Gallagher for the second year in a row.

The city of South Portland named ShipRight its “2022 Business of the Year Award” winner during its 2022 South Portland Business & Economic Development Awards. Other award winners included High Tide Organic LLC, “2022 SoPo Sustainability Award;” Nelson Metal Fabrication Inc., “2022 Small Business of the Year Award;” Lincoln & Main Electric Bike Café & Winery, “2022 - South Portland New Business of the Year Award;” Waterfront Alliance, “2022 Santo ‘Sam’ DiPietro Community Impact Award;” Southern Maine Community College, “2022 Business Leader of the Year Award;” and Judith Borelli, director of public affairs at Texas Instruments, “2022 – Heart of South Portland Award.”

Morgan Stanley announced that The Breakwater Group, The Portland Group, The Doolan/Eldredge Group and The Downeast Group, all based in Portland, were named to Forbes Magazine’s 2023 list of “America’s Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams.” In addition, Robin Hodgskin, a senior vice president, financial advisor in the firm’s Portland wealth management office, was named to the magazine’s list of “Top Women Wealth Advisors” for 2023.

St. Mary’s Health System in Lewiston said it received “Advanced Hip & Knee Replacement Certification” from DNV Healthcare USA, Inc. The certification requirements are informed by the ERAS Society Orthopaedic guidelines, the guidelines of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and relevant requirements of the CMS Conditions of Participation for Hospitals.

The Maine Women’s Hall of Fame announced that Sandra Caron, professor of family relations and human sexuality at the University of Maine, will be inducted. The ceremony will be held March 18.

Lindsey LeBlanc, commercial portfolio manager, was named “2022 Employee of the Year” and Linda Luellan, loan servicing specialist, was recognized for her 25 years of service to Skowhegan Savings during the bank’s annual all employee meeting and recognition dinner.

Ecomaine, a single-sort recycling and sustainable waste management company in Portland, announced the winners of its “2023 eco-Excellence Awards.” Winners in the individual category included Kathleen Athearn, Westbrook; Rebecca Brown and Jeff Tarling, Portland; David Ertz, Yarmouth; and Noah Perlut, Scarborough. In the business category, Grady’s Motel, Bridgton; MaineHealth Sustainability Committee, Portland; and Tanbark, Portland were recognized while the Intercultural Community Center in Westbrook was the winner in the nonprofit category. In the education/schools category the Gorham School District; Heather Keegan, Readfield; and the Spruce Mountain HS Envirothon Team in Livermore Falls were honored. Awards will be presented at a luncheon and ceremony on March 21.

Baker Newman Noyes, a CPA and consulting firm in Portland, announced that it received the “Best of Accounting 5 Year Diamond Award” from ClearlyRated’s Best of Accounting for providing superior service to their clients.

Rinck Advertising, an advertising agency in Lewiston, said it was honored as a “Davey Award Silver Winner” for its work on the Intermodal Association of North America’s Membership Campaign.

The Washington Post named the town of Farmington, home to the University of Maine at Farmington, as “Collegiest Town in Maine.”