A roundup of new hires, promotions and achievements at businesses, nonprofits and health care facilities around Maine.
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New hires
Maine Commercial Realty in Bangor hired Bev Uhlenhake as managing broker. Uhlenhake has 19 years of commercial real estate experience.
Keller Williams Realty in Portland hired Jessica Strating as assistant market center administrator and Diane Jenkins as a broker assistant.
Constant, a Portland-based SaaS company specializing in consumer loan servicing, loss mitigation automation and member self-service for credit unions, hired Lisa Cote as controller. Cote previously served as controller at ACA Foreside Group.
Spinnaker Trust, a financial services firm in Portland, hired Zachary Smolkin as vice president and chief trust officer.
Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington hired Amanda Robbins as a dietician.
The Portland Symphony Orchestra hired McKenzie Blanchard as director of learning and community impact, Lucas Goodman as music librarian, Liz Shapiro as production manager and Michelle Zichella as major gifts and corporate officer.
Haley Ward Inc., a technical consulting firm in Bangor, announced several new hires. In Bangor, the firm hired Alexander Vadney as a civil project engineer in the municipal infrastructure service line; Wendell Harriman II and Kenneth Nguyen as senior project engineers in the building design service line; Scott Christiansen as a structural engineer in the building design service line; Wil Combs as a designer in the building design service line; and Chelsea Getchell as proposal coordinator. In Waterville, the firm hired Ames Quimby as a project manager in the municipal infrastructure service line. In Saco, the firm hired Scott Kibler as a senior project engineer in the building design service line, Peter Merrill as a CAD drafter/designer in the land development service line and Simeon Willey as a mechanical engineer in the building design service line. In Portland, the firm hired Savy Kuch and Jessica Seeley as BIM/CAD technicians in its BIM service line.
Franklin Health Primary Care in Farmington hired John Franson as a primary care provider. Franson most recently provided care at Caribou Memorial Hospital in Soda Springs, Idaho.
The Portland Parks Conservancy hired Jack Phillips as executive director. Most recently, Phillips served as director of advancement for the Maine Island Trail Association.
The University of Maine at Farmington hired Erica Thompson as director of the UMF Sweatt-Winter Child Care and Early Education Center. Thompson previously worked as an educator and child care provider at the Community Concepts Head Start and Early Learning Centers in Farmington and Wilton.
The city of Bangor hired Jose Saavedra as Bangor International Airport director. Saavedra was director of industry programs for the American Association of Airport Executives in Alexandria, Va.
Allen Insurance and Financial in Camden hired Randi Morse as an account manager in its benefits division.
Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce hired Gordon Page as interim president and CEO. Page previously served the organization in the same role in 2022.
Promotions
Central Maine Healthcare in Lewiston promoted Stephany Jacques to president of Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital. Jacques had been serving as interim president since May.
Spinnaker Trust, a financial services firm in Portland, promoted Caitlin DiMillo to senior vice president and client advisor.
Franklin Savings Bank promoted Rachel Desroches to customer service and assistant branch manager in Rumford.
New Dimensions Federal Credit Union in Waterville promoted Michael Grenier to executive vice president. Grenier was previously COO.
Town & Country Federal Credit Union in Scarborough promoted Heidi Olson to vice president of member engagement, digital services and payments and Jennifer Johnson to vice president of accounting and finance. Olson was member relationship manager and Johnson was accounting manager.
Haley Ward Inc., a technical consulting firm in Bangor, promoted Robert Harvey to municipal infrastructure service line director, Ted Stam to Northern New England building design regional manager and Jill Walsh to human resources director.
Appointments
Portland Ovations added Jerry Edwards, Nate Henry, Corey Hinton and Connor Smart to its board of directors. Edwards, also known as Genius Black, is a multifaceted musical artist, photographer and podcaster; Henry is a small business relationship manager at Bangor Savings Bank; Hinton leads Drummond Woodsum’s tribal nations practice group; and Smart is a certified public accountant. The organization also elected Sayad Moudachirou as president of its board.
Preti Flaherty a law firm in Portland, announced that David Van Slyke, the firm’s managing partner, was elected to the board of regents of the American College of Environmental Lawyers.
Achievements
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins became the 15th person to win the “Naval Heritage Award.” The award is presented to Americans who have supported the nation’s sea service, and whose lives and career exemplify the core value of honor, courage and commitment.
Berman & Simmons, a law firm in Lewiston, said that nine of its attorneys were selected to the “2023 New England Super Lawyers” list and two others were recognized as “2023 New England Rising Stars.”
Schoodic Arts for All in Winter Harbor announced that Warren Harden, an artist from Winter Harbor, won the “Schoodic Arts for All WOW Award.”
Thomas College in Waterville was included in a list of “Top Performers in Social Mobility for Northeast Region Universities” by U.S. News and World Report.
Channel 8 WMTW in Portland earned 12 “First Place” and “Merit” awards during the Maine Association of Broadcasters annual News and Creative Awards gala. The station received top honors for “Best Newscast,” “Best Weathercast,” “Best Sportscast,” “Best Sportscast: Play-By-Play Program,” “Best Locally Produced Program” and “Best Self-Promotion Campaign.”
Compotech, a defense technology company in Brewer, announces was named one of Composites World’s “Top Shops” for a second time. The company also received recognition from the city of Brewer to commemorate its recent achievements.
Verrill, a law firm in Portland, said 17 of its Maine-based attorneys were recognized in the 2023 edition of New England Super Lawyers, including eight who were named “Rising Stars.”
The city of Auburn presented its “John Jenkins Hands & Hearts Leadership & Service Award” to Dan Campbell, a longtime high school running/track coach and a former drug abuse counselor.
The Institute for Family-Owned Business in Portland presented numerous awards during its 23rd Maine Family Business Awards gala. Mahoosuc Guide Services in Newry received the “Geiger Environmental Leadership Award,” Hancock Lumber in Casco won the “M&T Bank Innovation & Technology Award,” the “Horch Roofing First Generation Award” was presented to Maine Med Cleaning Service in South Portland, the Cote Corp. in Auburn took home the “Chalmers Insurance Group Customer Service Award,” the “Shep Lee Community Service Award” went to Gorham Sand & Gravel in Buxton, Brodis Blueberries in Hope received the “Maddy Corson Small Business Award,” Pratt Abbott Garment Care in Westbrook was named the “Renys Large Business of the Year” and Janet Cole Cross of Cole Cross Connections LLC was presented with the “BerryDunn Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Northern Light Mercy Hospital in Portland announced that Jim Ciampi received the “2023 Forsley Award.” The award recognizes Ciampi’s decades of service on the boards of Cheverus High School, Deering Pavilion and the Italian Heritage Center.
Auburn Manufacturing Inc., a Mechanic Falls-based manufacturer of advanced textiles for extreme-heat environments, was named an “Exporter of the Year” by Export-Import Bank of the United States.
The Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce announced its annual Chamber Business Awards winners. Elizabeth Sutherland was named the “Norbert X. Dowd Award” winner, Waterfront Concerts was the “Spirit of the Region Cultural Award” winner, Tiller & Rye will receive the “Small Business of the Year” award, ERA Dawson Bradford Realtors was named the “Large Business of the Year” winner, Tom Judge of Lifeflight of Maine will receive the “Community Service Award,” Bangor Region YMCA is the “Non-Profit of the Year,” David Dunning was named the “Sarah Dubay Professional Service Award” winner and the “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award” will go to Global Secure Shipping. All awards will be presented in January.
Manifesting Main - Asset Mapping Downtown Ellsworth, a study of Ellsworth’s downtown assets as well as many forward-thinking growth opportunities for the city completed by Heart of Ellsworth, received the “2023 Maine Smart Growth Award: Exemplary Smart Growth Planning Initiative.”
Allen Insurance and Financial in Camden said that Leann Cailler and Joella Rossignol, personal insurance account executives, earned the Safeco Insurance Award of Distinction for 2023.
