🔒Newsworthy people and performances

New Hires

Casco Bay Wealth Advisors in Brunswick recently hired Sheila Menair as a financial advisor. Previously, Menair was a financial advisor at Key Investment Services.

Legacy Properties Sotheby's International Realty in Portland recently hired Lucy Foster Flight as a vice president.

Winxnet, an IT service provider in Portland, recently hired Rachel Justice as vice president of sales and marketing. Justice has more than 20 years of information technology business development, sales and consulting experience.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate/The Masiello Group in Ellsworth recently hired Meghan Birdsall and Aurora Hilton as sales agents, Angelia Levesque as a broker and Marc Perry as an associate broker.

Verrill Dana, a law firm in Portland, recently hired John Van Lonkhuyzen as a partner and Rita Heimes as counsel in the firm's intellectual property group. Van Lonkhuyzen, previously with the United States Department of Justice, practices in the firm's litigation and trial and health care groups, as well as serving as the chairman of its criminal defense, white collar and government enforcement group. Heimes is currently the associate dean for academic affairs at the University of Maine School of Law, where she also serves as the director of the Center for Law and Innovation.

The Montalvo Corp., international specialists in web tension control in Gorham, recently hired Dave Mareiniss as applications specialist - southeast.

Skowhegan Savings recently hired Richard St. Pierre as senior vice president and CFO. St. Pierre was previously the CFO for Schlotterbeck & Foss in Portland.

United Way of Androscoggin County recently hired Matthew Shaw as director of campaign and marketing.

BerryDunn, a CPA firm in Portland, recently announced several new hires. Matthew Barlion and Rafael Henckel were hired as staff accountants; Nicholas Corrow and Benjamin Williams as tax specialists; Miles Smith, as senior consultant, and Jane Courcy, as consultant, in the management and information technology group; Ryan Doil, Nicolle Field, Lori Kleckner and Gary Listug as senior consultants in the government consulting group; Jim Piraino as a manager in the firm's tax consulting and compliance group; and Laura Pandolfo as a business development associate for the management and information technology group and the government consulting group.

Casco Bay Engineering Inc., a structural and civil engineering firm in Portland, recently hired Peter Rand as senior project manager.

Waldoboro Family Medicine in Rockport recently hired Elizabeth Stewart as a board- certified nurse practitioner.

Community Partners Inc., a nonprofit in Biddeford that supports adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, recently hired Andrea Batherson.

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud recently hired Dan Rafter as communications director. Rafter was previously associate director of communications with the Human Rights Campaign.

Preti Flaherty, a law firm in Portland, recently hired Anthony Manhart and Paul Greenberg. Manhart practices as a partner in the firm's Portland office and will serve as co-chairman of the bankruptcy, creditors' rights and restructuring group while Greenberg practices as a director in the firm's Boston office.

Norton Insurance Financial in Cumberland Foreside recently hired Patrick LaVoie as sales manager. LaVoie was previously regional president at One Beacon Insurance.

Anania & Associates Investment Co. in Windham recently hired Walter Wunderlich as director, human resources and compliance, and Gary Dudman as senior sales manager for TrakTec LLC, the firm's portfolio company. Previously Wunderlich was COO at Lighthouse Imaging LLC, a portfolio company of the firm. Dudman was previously sales manager at Resource Management Inc. in Holderness, N.H.

Hall Internet Marketing in Portland recently hired Mary Soule as a junior SEO analyst.

Clark insurance in Portland recently hired Kristine Sullivan as a senior account executive in its business insurance department.

C&L Aerospace in Bangor recently hired Sarah Smiley as communications manager.

The Maine Department of Labor recently hired Jorge Acero as state monitor advocate for migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the Bureau of Employment Services. Acero previously served as state director of the Migrant Education Program with the Maine Department of Education.

Promotions

The Maine Department of Corrections recently promoted Matthew Magnusson to regional correctional manager for Region 3 and Adam Silberman to regional correctional manager for Region 2 adults.

Winxnet, an IT service provider in Portland, recently promoted Curtis Henderson to chief technology officer, Jaimie Rowe to senior vice president and general manager, Tony Converse to vice president of strategic consulting, Amanda Downing to vice president of SharePoint consulting and John Kitonis to vice president of application development, SQL and web.

Clark Insurance in Portland recently promoted Jeffrey Shaw to executive vice president. Shaw also is a shareholder and director of the agency.

Katahdin Trust Co. in Houlton recently promoted Joseph Porter to vice president. Porter was previously assistant vice president.

The County Federal Credit Union in Caribou recently promoted Ryan Ellsworth to president/CE0, effective June 2. Ellsworth was previously executive vice president.

Gov. Paul LePage recently promoted Joseph Fitzpatrick to acting commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections. Fitzpatrick is the clinical director and the associate commissioner for juvenile services.

WBRC Architects Engineers in Bangor recently promoted Adam Gillespie to associate.

The First N.A. in Damariscotta recently promoted Karen LaCharite to assistant vice president/senior credit analyst in Damariscotta, Matt Mattson to assistant vice president/senior business relationship officer in Blue Hill and Marlene Parks to assistant vice president/branch manager in Calais.

United Way of Greater Portland recently promoted Dan Coyne to senior vice president of community impact. Coyne previously served as the director of financial stability and public policy.

Appointments

David Kitchen, broker/owner of Foundations Real Estate in Yarmouth, was recently elected chairman of the Maine Real Estate Commission for 2014. Kitchen has served on the commission for 20 years and this is his sixth time as chairman.

WEX Inc., a provider of corporate payment solutions in South Portland, recently announced that Eric Duprat has been elected to the company's board of directors. Duprat is currently CEO of Verayo, a mobile security services turnaround firm in San Jose, Calif.

Skowhegan Savings recently elected Paul Fortin, Robert Luce, Lawrence Koob, Rhonda Wiles, Nancy Bessey and Kimberley Jordon as corporators during its annual meeting. In addition, James Austin and Warren Shay were re-elected to serve on the board of directors along with Roger Gifford, Howard Sevey, Richard Anzelc Jr., Claire Theriault-Perkins and John Witherspoon.

The Portland Society for Architecture in Portland recently voted the following slate of officers for the 2014 term: President, Alan Kuniholm, principal, PDT Architects; Vice President, Stuart O'Brien, attorney, Maine Public Utilities Commission; Secretary, Scott Tompkins, director of business development, PC Construction Co.; and Treasurer, Ron Conterio, product consultant, A.W. Hastings & Co.

BerryDunn, a CPA firm in Portland, recently announced that Mike Jurnak was named to the board of New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility. Jurnak is the principal-in-charge of the firm's Manchester, N.H. office, focusing on commercial companies, including manufacturing and high technology businesses.

The Portland Water District recently re-elected Guy Cote as president, Kenneth Levinsky as vice president, David Kane as treasurer and Donna Katsiaficas as clerk of its board of trustees.

Michael Stevenson, provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Southern Maine, was recently elected to the inaugural board of directors of the Association of Chief Academic Officers.

Achievements

Jennifer Davis, a complex rehabilitation equipment specialist at Bedard Medical Supplies in Auburn, recently earned the Assistive Technology Professional certification by the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America.

Workers' compensation specialists The MEMIC Group in Portland recently announced that A.M. Best awarded its A rating for members of the group, adding an A rating for its newest group member, MEMIC Casualty Co.

Oakhurst, a dairy producer in Portland, recently recognized its top dairy farms at the company's recent annual producers meeting. Chartrand Farm, Norridgewock, was named 2013 Producer of the Year. The remainder of the top 10, in order of overall quality were: Smith Farm, Bangor; Twin Meadow Farm, Charleston; R.E. Hemond Inc., Minot; Broadcrest Farm, Ripley; Misty Meadows Farm, Clinton; Hemond Hill Farm, Minot; Highland Farms Inc., Cornish; Silver Maple Farms, Albion; and Leary Farm, Saco. Four farms also received the company's perfect farm score for having earned four flawless inspection reports from Oakhurst and two from the Maine Department of Agriculture in 2013: Smith Farm; Halledge Farm, Windham; Hemond Hill Farm; and Gold Top Farm, Knox. Smith Farm, with two, and Twin Meadow Farm also won individual category awards.

The American Heart Association recently announced that several Maine employers received national recognition for promoting physical activity and health in the workplace through its Fit Friendly Worksite program. Gold level organizations included: AdvancePierre Foods, Austin Associates, Cary Medical Center, city of Auburn, city of Lewiston, Evergreen Subaru, General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Holden Agency, Huhtamaki, MaineHealth, Maine Oxy, MEMIC, Mercy Hospital, New England Rehabilitation Hospital of Portland, North East Mobile Health Services, Olympia Sports, Procter and Gamble employees and staff management, Schooner Estates, Sea Coast/OceanView Management Co., St. Joseph's College of Maine, St. Mary's Health System, Sure Winner Foods and Tyler Technologies. Platinum-level (and Worksite Innovation Award) organizations included: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Diversified Business Communications and Idexx Laboratories.

The Camp Susan Curtis Leadership Celebration recently recognized Pratt-Abbott Cleaners with its Gov. Curtis Family Leadership Award, Harris Golf with the Community Partnership Award and Cape Elizabeth High School with the Camp Susan Curtis Spirit Award.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors recently recognized Lewiston State Farm agent Lisa Laliberte with the National Quality Award, Multiline Category. It was the 13th consecutive year Laliberte won the award.

The Greater Bangor Convention & Visitors Bureau recently announced the winners of the 2014 Tourism and Hospitality Eagle Awards. Dennis Food and Paper Services won the Organizational Achievement Eagle Award; George Brountas the Lifetime Achievement Eagle Award; Larry Killam the Individual Achievement Eagle Award; and Bangor Police Department the Impact Eagle Award.

The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project in Portland recently recognized its 2013 legal aid volunteer heroes. Norman, Hanson & DeTroy was named Pro Bono Firm of the Year and Eben Albert-Knopp of Bernstein Shur was Pro Bono Attorney of the Year. Community Partner awards were given to Dena Whitesell and Olga Alicea. Sam Saltonstall was awarded Development Volunteer of the Year, Sue Strommer was the Intake Volunteer of the Year and Simon Craven the In-House Legal Volunteer of the Year. Ron Brown won the ILAP Wizard award, Catherine Lindgren and Betsy Mahoney were recognized for their work as asylum program volunteers and Melissa Hewey was given the Hero Award.

KW Commercial/Maine Commercial Real Estate Brokerage, the commercial real estate arm of Keller Williams Realty in Portland, recently announced that Cheri Bonawitz, an associate broker, received the Gold Level Sales Volume Award for 2013 and the 2013 Spirit Award.

Peter and Phil McPhail, brokers and owners of United Country – McPhail Realty in Lincoln, were recently awarded the 2013 Genesis Award at United Country Real Estate's 2014 Training and Awards Convention. The firm was also named the No. 8 franchise in United Country's international network of nearly 500 offices for 2013 and No. 1 in Maine.

Edward Bilsky, University of New England vice president for research and scholarship, was recently named the 2014 recipient of the Patient Advocacy Award by the American Academy for Pain Medicine.

Maine Float Rope in Waldoboro was recently recognized as a 2014 Editors' Choice Home & Garden Award winner in Yankee Magazine's March/April issue.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins recently received the 2014 Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life. The award was accepted on behalf of the 20 women of the Senate.

Jennifer Small of Malone Commercial Brokers in Portland was recently awarded co-volunteer of the year at the Maine Real Estate & Development Association's 2014 annual real estate conference.

Clifton Greim, president of Harriman, along with Kathy Loftus, national energy manager of Whole Foods, presented at the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association Building Energy 14 conference and trade show held in Boston recently. Greim and Loftus presented on the cost effectiveness of fuel cell technology when applied to commercial buildings.

Laurie Lachance, president of Thomas College in Waterville, and Patricia Ryan of the Maine Women's Lobby were recently inducted into the Maine Women's Hall of Fame.

The Bennett Law Firm in Portland was recently selected as a 2014 Best Law Firm by U.S. News and Best Lawyers.