Newsworthy people and performances

New hires

cPort Credit Union in Portland recently hired Amy Legere as director of lending. Legere was most recently operations officer at Kennebec Savings Bank.

CEI Capital Management LLC, an investor of New Market Tax Credits in Portland, recently hired Niels Zellers as investment officer. Zellers was most recently a senior strategy analyst with Fidelity Investments in Boston.

KeyBank in Portland recently hired Christine Young as trust officer and Richard Elvidge as vice president and senior portfolio manager for Key Private Bank. Previously, Young was senior trust administrator for R.M. Davis Inc., while Elvidge was senior portfolio manager with People's United Bank.

Bernstein Shur, a law firm in Portland, recently hired Helen Sterling as an associate in the firm's business law practice group. Previously, Sterling was a corporate associate at Brown Rudnick LLP in Boston.

Scarborough Family Chiropractic, a health and wellness practice, recently hired Jonathan Emlet and Elizabeth Doane. Emlet is certified by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and Doane is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist.

Wright-Ryan Construction Inc. in Portland recently hired Ryan Sylvia as a project engineer in the firm's commercial construction division and Sean Keay as an estimator for preconstruction services.

Maine Veterans' Home in Augusta recently hired Donna Gosselin as director of corporate compliance and quality. Gosselin was previously the director of nursing at Seaside Healthcare in Portland.

Gartley & Dorsky Engineering and Surveying Inc. in Camden recently hired Erik Peil as structural engineer. Peil has eight years of experience in structural engineering, detailing and drafting.

Volunteers of America Northern New England in Brunswick recently hired Michael O'Connor as COO and vice president of external relations. O'Connor was most recently with TD Bank in Portland.

Home Instead Senior Care, a Gorham company that provides non-medical homecare to seniors in Cumberland County, recently hired Catherine Studley as community services director. Studley most recently managed the startup of a private duty agency.

The Mercy Pain Center recently hired Joel Guarna. Previously a staff psychologist for the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Boston, Guarna is a clinical psychologist specializing in health psychology, wellness, addiction, trauma, cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based psychotherapies.

BerryDunn, a CPA and management consulting firm in Portland, recently announced several new hires. Justin Davis, Karen Jones, Evan Kohn and Samantha Ostrom were hired in the firm's government consulting group; Claire Eaton in the management and information technology group; Danielle Baron, Nathaniel Dunlap, Jeffrey Grzesik, Preston Kinney, Kristine Reynolds and Zachary Scrutchfield as staff accountants; Kevin Penley in the diversified commercial group; Haley Israelson in the tax consulting and compliance group; and Nicholas Zagorianakos in the information technology group.

St.Germain Collins, an environmental consulting and engineering firm in Westbrook, recently hired Melissa Archbell as a civil engineer. Previously, Archbell worked in Philadelphia and Virginia on large pipeline projects and in Maryland doing land development design.

Dead River Co. recently hired David Ouellette as branch manager in Sanford. Ouellette most recently was an energy adviser with Downeast Energy in Springvale.

Comfort Keepers, an in-home senior care company in Scarborough, recently hired Denise Harrington as human resources director. Harrington has worked in human resources and social services for more than 13 years.

Hall Internet Marketing in Portland recently hired Jessica Lavoie as a content management system developer.

Down East: The Magazine of Maine recently hired Caroline Praderio as an assistant editor. Most recently, Praderio was an editorial and social media intern at America's Test Kitchen in Brookline, Mass.

Pinetree Family Chiropractic in Yarmouth recently added Kate Marcinak to the practice.

Saint Joseph's College in Standish recently hired Yvonne Berry as CFO and vice president. Berry was previously CFO and vice president of the University of New Hampshire School of Law in Concord, N.H.

Promotions

Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems in Brewer recently promoted Terri Vieira to president and CEO of Sebasticook Valley Health. Vieira had been serving as acting CEO since April of this year and, as permanent president and CEO, she also becomes a senior vice president of Eastern Medical Health Systems.

CEI Capital Management LLC, an investor of New Market Tax Credits in Portland, recently promoted Didier Hakizimana to senior accounting manager. Hakizimana was previously an accounting specialist.

Wright-Ryan Construction Inc. in Portland recently promoted Rodney Collard to assistant project manager and Jim Giberson to commercial marketing coordinator. Collard was previously a commercial project engineer while Giberson was an assistant superintendent in the firm's small projects division.

Volunteers of America Northern New England in Brunswick recently promoted Rhonda Cashell to director of development and fundraising. Most recently, Cashell was a marketing consultant.

Dream Local Digital in Rockland recently promoted Lesa Berard to people operations manager. Berard was previously a business portfolio growth strategist.

BerryDunn, a CPA and management consulting firm in Portland, recently promoted Connie Ouellette to lead the firm's hospital practice group; Jason Favreau to principal in the tax consulting and compliance group; and Tammy Brunetti to principal in the health care and not-for-profit group.

Crossroads, a Scarborough nonprofit that offers treatment for behavioral health with a gender-specific focus, recently promoted Shannon Trainor to executive director effective Sept. 30. Trainor was previously the organization's clinical director. Mary Anne Roy, previously assistant clinical director, was promoted to clinical director.

People's United Bank in Portland recently promoted Tonya Beckwith to financial services manager at its Scarborough office.

The directors of Macpage LLC, a CPA firm in South Portland, recently promoted Alison Herrick to client services director.

Willis of Northern New England Inc. in Lewiston recently promoted Michelle Thomas to senior account manager and support staff supervisor. Previously, Thompson was a senior account manager.

Down East Enterprise Inc., publishers of Down East: The Magazine of Maine, Shooting Sportsman magazine and Fly Rod & Reel magazine in Camden, recently promoted Becca Gildred to marketing director. Gildred was most recently associate marketing director.

Custom Museum Publishing Inc. in Rockland recently promoted Cheryl McKeary to managing editor of Maine Authors Publishing & Cooperative. McKeary was previously a marketing and media specialist.

Meghan Torjussen recently joined the weekday morning team on WMTW News 8. Torjussen was previously a weekend evening anchor.

Appointments

The Portland Symphony Orchestra recently announced Samuel Parkhill, CEO of The Hall Corp., was elected president of its board of trustees. The orchestra also announced new board members: Ken Blaschke, portfolio manager, HeadInvest; Tim Boulette, partner, Murray Plumb & Murray; Carole Case; Elisabeth Chase, founder, Little Music Maker; James Konkel; and Kenneth Nelson.

The Institute for Civic Leadership in Portland recently announced new board members Elizabeth Holmstrom, Wendy Cunningham, Tom Gale and Alice Kornhauser. Holmstrom leads the health and wellness strategy with TD Bank for its U.S. population; Cunningham works for Unum; Gale is president of VONT Digital Marketing; and Kornhauser is the vice president of marketing and communications at United Way of Greater Portland. In addition, the following officers and members were voted in: chair, Pat Palmer, community volunteer; former chair, Pete Thaxter, Curtis Thaxter; secretary, Jamie Morin, WEX Inc.; treasurer, Michael Stillings, Baker Newman Noyes; Richard Abbondanza, Hopkinson & Abbondanza; Edgar Anderson, human resources consultant; Andrew Colvin, office of Chellie Pingree; Stephen Eddy, investment management and consulting; Daryl Fort, independent consultant; Thomas Francoeur, Woodard & Curran; Larry Henry, Martin's Point Health Care; Kazeem Lawal, Portland Trading Co.; Marie McCarthy, L.L.Bean; Linda Mae Ruterbories, OA — Centers for Orthopaedics; Heather Sullivan, CIEE; and Karen Suva, Konbit Sante.

Portland's Downtown District recently announced that Steven Hewins was appointed interim executive director. Hewins has been engaged in Downtown Portland's business and hospitality community for more than 30 years. In addition, the following were elected to the board of directors: Michael Casey, Michael Mastronardi, Mike McDonald, Penelope St. Louis and Trish Weimer. Newly elected officers included Brad McCurtain, president; Mastronardi, first vice president; Gerard Kiladjian, second vice president; and McDonald, treasurer.

The Maine Center for Creativity in Portland recently elected new officers: Katherine Greenleaf, Greenleaf Consulting, president; Jamie Morin, senior vice president of client operations, WEX Inc., vice president; Tom MacDonald, senior vice president, Mechanic Savings Bank, treasurer; and Alan Atkins, Atkins Chowdry LLC, clerk. Sam Sezak, Blue Heron Capital, and Linda Varrell, Broadreach Public Relations, also recently joined the board.

Pen Bay Healthcare in Rockport recently announced that Judi Trenholm, director of volunteer services for Pen Bay Medical Center, was elected president of the Maine Society Directors of Healthcare Volunteer Services. The organization enhances the quality of volunteer services in Maine health care organizations by providing networking support, professional and educational opportunities and an exchange of ideas and information on volunteer programs.

Staci Coomer, executive director of the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, was recently appointed as president of the Midcoast Chamber Council. The council is a regional alliance of eight Chambers of Commerce of the Midcoast region of Maine from Bath-Brunswick to Searsport.

The Maine Community Foundation recently elected Andrew Fenniman, Katherine Fullam Harris and Matthew Polstein to its board of directors. Fenniman founded Actionable Insights; Harris is MaineHealth's vice president of government and employer relations; and Polstein is the owner and operator of the New England Outdoor Center.

North Yarmouth Academy recently announced to its board of trustees: Steve Malcom, owner and COO, Knickerbocker Group; Lee Mallett, private investor; Warren Miskell, wood turner and sculptor; Erin Schaeffer, COO and president of H&D Title and Closing Services; Scott Steinberg, director of admission, Bates College.

Eastern Maine Development Corp., in Bangor recently added Jane Searles, regional manager for Women, Work and Community, and Garrett Wilkin, an independent programmer and leader of the Maine Hacker Club, to its board of directors.

Achievements

The Maine Department of Labor recently announced that Maine Machine Products in South Paris, Cianbro Equipment in Pittsfield, Lovell Lumber in Lovell and OneSteel Recycling in Bangor earned the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program award. This certification recognizes businesses that voluntary undertake a rigorous safety achievement program.

Two Maine Medical Center doctors were recently honored by Tufts University School of Medicine. Virginia Eddy, a trauma and critical care surgeon, was awarded the Outstanding Teaching in the Clerkship Years award. Debra Rothenberg, a family medicine physician, was honored with the Milton O. and Natalie V. Zucker Clinical Teaching Prize for Outstanding Innovation in clinical teaching.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development recently announced that Residential Mortgage Services Inc. in South Portland was named the agency's Homeownership Partner of the Year 2013. The company has helped 1,399 families purchase homes through the USDA Rural Development Guaranteed Program, totaling an investment of more than $200 million in Maine homeownership in less than three years.

Mexicali Blues in Newcastle was recently recognized in the categories of men's clothing store and women's boutique in this year's Best of Maine issue of Down East Magazine.

Girl Scouts of Maine recently announced that Meredith Strang Burgess, president and CEO of Burgess Advertising & Marketing in Portland, will be honored at the 17th Annual Women of Distinction Gala in December. The event honors women whose achievements distinguish them as outstanding members of their communities and role models for today's girls.

Amy Cotton, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems' director of operations and senior services quality and nurse practitioner, recently presented her research at the Sigma Theta Tau International 24th annual International Nursing Research Congress in Prague, Czech Republic. Cotton presented her research on “The Always/Never Care Model: Improving Outcomes of Care for Older Adults.”

Pam Haney, director of coding services at Synernet Inc., in Portland, was recently selected to receive the American Health Information Management Association Triumph Awards Committee 2013 Mentor Award. The award recognizes those who have made a difference in the health information management profession.

The Maine Commercial Association of Realtors recently named Justin Lamontagne as Realtor of the Year. Lamontagne is an associate broker at NAI The Dunham Group.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins recently received the 2013 Congressional Cancer Champion Advocacy Award from the American Cancer Society for leadership and dedication in support of lifesaving cancer research, prevention and early detection.

eWaste Recycling Solutions recently announced its electronics recycling facilities in Auburn and Lewiston achieved R2/RIOS certification. The certification demonstrates that a facility is operating at the highest standards for quality production, environmental protections, health and safety.

The Aroostook Medical Center was recently included on the American Hospital Association's top-25 list of the nation's most-wired small and rural hospitals, along with Acadia Hospital in Bangor and Inland Hospital in Waterville. Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Sebasticook Valley Hospital in Pittsfield and Blue Hill Memorial Hospital were recognized in the most-wired category. The six hospitals were among only eight in Maine to be recognized.

Diversified Communications, a broadcasting, exhibition, publishing and media company in Portland, recently presented Anthony Martin with its Governor's Award, the company's highest honor. Martin joined the company as a project manager and was subsequently promoted to director of the company's project management office.

The Institute for Civic Leadership recently graduated its 20th leadership intensive class. Graduates included: Jennifer Bush, Rising Tide Consulting; Randal Chenard, Unum; Colette Davis, OA Center for Orthopaedics; Heather Davis, The Telling Room; Benjamin Davis, CIEE; Julie DeLaite Mulkern, WinterKids; Rebekah Dube, Martin's Point Health Care; Peter Ekowicki, Fairchild Semiconductor Corp.; Arthur Fink, Insight and Clarity; Francesca Galluccio-Steele, Maine Audubon; Hamza Haadoow, Goodwill Industries of Northern New England; Peter Heissenbuttel, Hunting Dearborn Inc.; Patrick Kambu Mbenza, Congolese Community of Maine; Apollo Karara, Maine Association for New Americans; Anna Marie Klein Christie, Rippleffect; Marion Knox, community volunteer; Eric Labelle, city of Portland; Amey Leadley, KMA Consulting; Katharine Lualdi, University of Southern Maine/Central Maine Community College; Mabel Ney, Idexx Laboratories Inc.; Mia Ntahobari, community volunteer; Kathleen Reed, The Jackson Laboratories and Colby College; Michael Russo, Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority; Sean Sinclair, Baker Newman Noyes; John Sterling, WEX Inc.; Jason Thaxter, Kepware Technologies; Liz Trice, Cumberland County government; and Tracy Weber, Vaughan Homestead Foundation.

The Planet Dog Foundation, Planet Dog's nonprofit grant-making organization in Portland, recently reached the $1 million mark in cash grants and product donations to canine service organizations across the country.

Kaplan Thompson Architects in Portland recently obtained its first Passive House certification for the Earthship Farmstead project in Stuart, Va. Projected to receive LEED platinum status, this will be one of the only homes on the East Coast, and the first in Virginia, to have both green building certifications.

The Maine Department of Labor recently announced that Maine Machine Products in South Paris, Cianbro Equipment in Pittsfield, Lovell Lumber in Lovell and OneSteel Recycling in Bangor earned the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program Award. This certification recognizes businesses that voluntarily undertake a rigorous safety achievement program.