Newsworthy people and performances

New hires

Platz Associates, a design and construction management firm in Auburn, hired Gabrielle Russell as a licensed architect.

Diversified Communications, an international media company in Portland, hired David Vaughan as a data services manager and Jonathan Bass as a marketing coordinator.

PeoplesChoice Credit Union in Saco hired Marcie LeBel as part of its residential mortgage loan processing team. Previously, LeBel was the mortgage loan processor for East Coast Mortgage in Auburn.

The Portland Museum of Art hired Andrew Eschelbacher as the Susan Donnell and Harry W. Konkel assistant curator of European art.

Franklin Community Health Network in Farmington hired Oscar Fischer as a member of its anesthesiology services department at Franklin Memorial Hospital. Most recently, Fischer was at Twin County Regional Hospital in Galax, Va. The hospital also announced Joanie Peter joined the medical staff of its emergency department.

The YMCA of Southern Maine hired Jan DiMauro as human resources director.

Competitive Energy Services, an energy advisory firm in Portland, hired Matt Gamache as an energy analyst and Robert Brown as a data analyst and programmer.

Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution hired Kevin Gwinn, Alison Meehan, Anne Hensley and Marlina Weiss as full-time tellers and Ethan Bergeron as a part-time teller.

Mercy Cardiology in Portland announced John Moloney joined the practice. Moloney is as a board certified cardiologist.

Wiscasset Ford hired Bill David as assistant sales manager.

Investment Management & Consulting Group in Portland hired Missy Lyon as a portfolio manager associate. Lyon most recently was with Charles Schwab in Portland.

Skelton, Taintor & Abbott, a law firm in Auburn, hired Amy Dieterich as a member of its health care law practice.

Avita of Stroudwater, an assisted living community in Westbrook, hired Lea Rust as marketing director. Rust was previously with Genesis HealthCare.

The Northern York branch of the YMCA of Southern Maine hired Bob Eagle as child care director.

Broadreach Public Relations, a communications firm in Portland, hired Dan D'Ippolito as production manager. D'Ippolito was previously marketing manager for Baxter Brewing Co. in Lewiston.

Norton Insurance Agency in Cumberland Foreside hired Jeffrey Woodbury as commercial lines producer. Woodbury was previously with Liberty Mutual in South Portland.

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust hired Ed Wyatt Jr. as vice president/community banking manager. Wyatt was previously with Synovus Bank of Florida.

Northeast Bank in Bangor hired Barbara Goss as a mortgage loan officer. Goss was previously with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

CBRE|The Boulos Co. hired Courtney Allen as an executive assistant. Allen was previously an operations coordinator with TideSmart Global.

LeBlanc & Young, a law firm in Portland, hired Karen Hart as fiduciary services administrator.

Verrill Dana, a law firm in Portland, hired Wayne Keown and Rita Heimes as attorneys in its intellectual property group.

Sevee & Maher Engineers in Cumberland hired Lisa Jacob as a senior geologist/senior project manager.

Jensen Baird Gardner & Henry, a law firm in Portland, added Roy Pierce to its litigation practice group. Pierce was previously practiced at Preti Flaherty in Portland.

Dream Local Digital, a marketing firm in Rockland, hired Abby Hilt as a marketing strategist.

The Brunswick Hotel and Tavern in Brunswick hired David Pendexter as executive chef.

The Portland Chamber Music Festival hired Alice Kornhauser as executive director. Kornhauser was most recently vice president of marketing & communications for United Way of Greater Portland.

Northeast Bank in Lewiston hired Joshua Israel as senior vice president of business development, Jonathan Smith as senior vice president and director of SBA lending and Greg Corra as senior loan underwriter and portfolio manager. Israel was previously with Admirals Bank, Smith with the National SBA Division of TD Bank and Corra with Citizens Bank.

Thompson & Bowie LLP, a law firm in Portland, hired Brendan O'Rourke as an associate. O'Rourke was previously a judicial clerk with the Honorable Joseph M. Jabar, associate justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

Pine Tree Society, a nonprofit in Scarborough that serves Maine people with disabilities, hired Robert Youde as adult case manager.

Allen Insurance and Financial in Camden hired Kimberly Edgar as an account manager in its insured benefits division.

Eaton Peabody, a law firm in Bangor, hired Eric Marshall as resident in the firm's business practice group.

Promotions

Competitive Energy Services, an energy advisory firm in Portland, promoted Meghan Nee to energy analyst. Nee was previously a pricing associate.

TD Bank promoted Amanda Noyes to store manager in Gray. Noyes was previously assistant store manager in Bedford, N.H.

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in New England promoted Jon Finch to sales manager of the company's Brunswick office. Finch was previously a sales associate affiliated with the firm's office in Saco.

Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution promoted Melissa Boilard to HR generalist; Shawn Walton to assistant branch manager at the bank's Saco location; Mary Jane Sawyer, Wendy Daigle and Kathleen Williamson to customer relationship associates in Saco; and Sarah Gonneville to customer relationship associate in South Portland.

Camden National Bank promoted Jordan Betts to vice president, commercial portfolio manager; Christy Bendtson to assistant vice president, human resources - Hanley Center, Rockport; Cynthia Bergin to assistant vice president, Brewer; Marcella Eldridge to assistant vice president, Corinth/Milo; Elizabeth Winslow, assistant vice president, Portland/Kennebunk; and Natalie Dame to commercial administration officer, Penny Johnson to loan servicing officer, Betsy Maguire to education officer and Tena Wallace to retail banking officer at Hanley Center, Rockport.

Otis Atwell, a CPA firm in South Portland, named Thomas Gioia as managing partner and Ronald Worden, Bridget Sylvester, Sarah Dodge and Greg Geisser as partners.

Androscoggin Bank in Lewiston promoted Jason Simcock to vice president and business and government services manager. Simcock was previously a business and government services officer.

Manpower Maine in Auburn promoted April Clark to president. Clark was previously vice president.

WBRC Architects Engineers in Bangor promoted Adam Gillespie to lead its structural engineering department.

Pine Tree Society, a nonprofit in Scarborough that serves Maine people with disabilities, promoted Greg King to program manager at Pine Tree Camp.

Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution promoted Diane Tousignant to vice president. Tousignant will continue in her previous role as benefits manager.

FHC Inc., a precision medical instrument manufacturing company in Bowdoin, promoted Michael Graffam to vice president of operations.

U.S. Cellular promoted Gary Hebert to store manager at its 11 Winners Circle, Topsham and 725 Main St., Rockland locations; and Jonathan Isacco to store manager at its 733 Main St. location in Presque Isle. Hebert was previously store manager in Presque Isle and Isacco was a sales manager in Bangor.

Appointments

The Bennett Law Firm in Portland announced that Peter Bennett was appointed Special Advisor to the American Bar Association Standing Committee on the American Judicial System. Bennett is president of the firm.

Portland Ballet added Stacey McDonald and Don Kopp to its board of directors. McDonald is a director at Unum and Kopp is of counsel at Drummond Woodsum. The organization also announced its officers, including Melissa Lin, president; Byron Bartlett, vice president; Suzanne Roberge, treasurer; and Christine Atwood, secretary.

The Board of Directors of the Marginal Way Preservation Fund in Ogunquit appointed Paul Wolf to a one-year term on its board. Wolf is president of Kennebunk Savings Bank's Kennebunk Investment Services.

Bernstein Shur, a law firm in Portland, announced that Jennifer Rood, shareholder and member of the firm's business restructuring and insolvency practice group, was accepted to the American Arbitration Association's Commercial Panel. The panel provides services to individuals and organizations who wish to resolve conflicts out of court.

The Maine Seed Potato Board appointed David McCrum, managing partner of Sunday River Farms LLC in Rumford Point, and re-appointed Dominic Lajoie of LaJoie Growers LLC in Van Buren to its board.

Achievements

Eaton Peabody, a law firm in Bangor, announced Timothy Woodcock, Alfred Frawley III, Seth Brewster and David Pierson were selected as Lawyers of the Year in the 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. The firm had an additional 11 lawyers selected for inclusion in the publication. The firm also announced eight of its attorneys and five of its practice areas were included in the 2014 edition of Chambers USA for the state of Maine. The rankings are based on market research into the strengths and reputations of U.S. attorneys and law firms.

Market Surveys of America, an independent survey company, announced that Penobscot Community Health Care's Warren Center was voted by consumers as the Best Hearing Aid Center in the Bangor area.

Berman & Simmons, a law firm in Lewiston, announced John Sedgewick, Daniel Kagan and Jodi Nofsinger were selected as Lawyers of the Year in the 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. The firm had an additional five lawyers selected for inclusion in the publication. The firm was also ranked No. 1 Litigation: Mainly Plaintiff in the 2014 edition of Chambers USA and had six partners recognized.

Bernstein Shur, a law firm in Portland, announced eight of its lawyers were selected as Lawyers of the Year in the 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. In addition, 49 of its lawyers were included in the publication. In addition, firm attorneys George Burns and Michael Bosse co-authored a book, “Building the Construction Case: A Blueprint for Litigators,” published by the American Bar Association.

The Androscoggin Land Trust in Auburn achieved accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance.

The Maine Credit Union League announced its 2014 recipients of the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Awards, established to encourage credit union involvement in community projects and activities. Winners included Casco Federal Credit Union, institutions with $20-$50 million in assets; Central Maine Federal Credit Union, $50-$100 million in assets; Rainbow Federal Credit Union, $100-$200 million in assets; and Five County Credit Union, $200-$500 million in assets. Louise Herring Philosophy In Action Member Service Award winners, recognizing credit unions that demonstrate the practical application of the credit union philosophy, were Community Credit Union, institutions with less than $50 million in assets; and Maine Family Federal Credit Union, $50-$250 million in assets. Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award winners were Gardiner Federal Credit Union, institutions with less than $50 million in assets; Central Maine Federal Credit Union, $50-$150 million in assets; and Five County Credit Union, $150-$500 million in assets. Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award winners were Community Credit Union, institutions with less than $50 million in assets; and Central Maine Federal Credit Union, $50-$150 million in assets.

The American College of Health Care Administrators honored Joel Rogers with the 2014 Eli Pick Facility Leadership Award. Rogers is the administrator of Falmouth by the Sea, a senior care facility in Falmouth.

The Portland Water District was awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association. The award reflects a commitment to the principles of governmental budgeting.

Wright-Pierce, an engineering firm in Portland specializing in water, wastewater, storm water and infrastructure services, was ranked by Engineering News Record as one of the country's top 25 firms in the wastewater treatment plant design sector and in the sanitary and storm sewer sector. The company also ranked in the top 50 in the sewerage and solid waste sector.

The Maine Small Business Development Centers in Portland selected Jennifer Sherwood as the 2014 State Star, an award given annually to a staff member that has shown a commitment to small business success. Sherwood is a project assistant at the center at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.

Thos. Moser, a furniture company in Auburn, was recognized by the Maine Wood Products Association with its Pine Tree Award for innovation in production and design.

Ellen Dorr, director of therapeutic foster care and family support services at Woodfords Family Services in Portland, was recognized by Adoptive & Foster Families of Maine as the Outstanding Community Agency Program Director of the Year for 2014.

Wine Spectator magazine honored The Looking Glass Restaurant at the Bluenose Inn in Bar Harbor with its Award of Excellence for the restaurant's selection of wines.

Bigelow Investment Advisors in Portland announced that Michael Moore, vice president and investment advisor, earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Thompson & Bowie LLP, a law firm in Portland, announced that Partners James Bowie, Rebecca Farnum and Leonard Langer were included in the 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Perkins Thompson P.A., a law firm in Portland, announced 12 of its lawyers were included in the 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Shaheen & Gordon P.A., a law firm in Saco, announced that Randall Smith and Peter Schroeter were included in the 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Community Health and Counseling Services' Home Health Services in Bangor was commended as Deficiency-Free in Medicare surveys in June and July.

The Southern Maine Labor Council recognized U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud with its Working Class Hero Award.