In Short from Feb. 9, 2009 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New hires

OA Centers for Orthopaedics recently appointed Stanley Skolfield as the program manager for The Parisi Speed School, an athletic performance enhancement program, located in the OA Performance Center in Saco.

United Cerebral Palsy of Northeastern Maine in Bangor recently hired Jane French as its administrator for the Elizabeth Levinson Center in Bangor.

Summer Field Studies, College of the Atlantic’s nature-oriented day camp in Bar Harbor, has hired Jean Marie Roth as its new director. Previously, Roth taught all ages in the camp’s summer sessions.

Franklin Community Health Network recently announced that Michael Rowland will join the medical staff of Franklin Health Livermore Falls Family Practice and Franklin Memorial Hospital. Previously, Rowland served as the medical director of the Maine Migrant Health Program.

Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems in Brewer, Rosscare in Bangor and Dirigo Pines Retirement Community in Orono recently hired Margaret Michaud as the new executive director of Dirigo Pines Inn in Orono. Previously, Michaud served as director of performance improvement and regulatory affairs at Blue Hill Memorial Hospital in Blue Hill.

The Maine Crafts Association in Dover-Foxcroft recently hired Todd Bernard as the new manager of the Center for Maine Craft. Bernard founded the SPACE Gallery in Portland.

Augusta-based Spectrum Generations, the central Maine area agency on aging, recently hired Carole-Terese Naser as its new development director.  Previously, Naser founded Six Horses Saved, an effort to save horses from the slaughterhouse.

Wellesley, Mass.-based Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, a health plan provider, appointed Edward Kane vice president in Maine. Kane will work from the company’s Portland office. Previously, Kane worked for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association in Chicago and in Washington, D.C.

Bancnorth Investment Group Inc. recently hired Richard Berry as a financial advisor. Berry will work in the TD Banknorth branch in Portland. Previously, Berry worked at Putnam Investments.

Yarmouth-based book publisher Islandport Press recently hired web producer and freelance writer Melissa Kim to help design, update and expand its website, develop new site content and more effectively use the Internet for communications.

Portland-based Charter Oak Capital Management recently hired Kathryn Dobrowolski as vice president and senior financial advisor. Previously, Dobrowolski served as vice president for Acadia Trust N.A.

Donna White recently joined Portland-based law firm Pierce Atwood as a partner in the firm’s trusts and estates group. White will split her time between the Portland and Boston offices. Previously, White was a partner at Prince Lobel Glovsky & Tye.

Portland-based Maine Bank & Trust recently announced that Stuart Williams has joined the bank as senior vice president and wealth management regional manager. Previously, Williams served as managing director and office director of Alex Brown and Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. in Boston.

Tracy Quadro recently joined Hayes & Associates, a professional guardian ad litem firm in Buckfield. Quadro previously served as executive director of Community Mediation Services of Hallowell.

Dustin Tuttle recently joined the U.S. Cellular Waterville location as sales manager. Previously, Tuttle worked with a wireless carrier in California as a sales manager.

The University of Maine System’s board of trustees recently appointed Kate Langdon Forhan as provost and vice president of academic affairs. Forhan will serve as USM’s chief academic officer. Previously, Forhan was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago.

Promotions

Legacy Publishing Co., creator and marketer of personal development CDs and DVDs in Westbrook, recently promoted Susan Lemieux to president of the company. Previously, Lemieux was vice president of finance.

Portland-based law firm Verrill Dana recently said Kelly Boden and Brett Witham have been named partners in the firm. Both practice in the firm’s Portland office.

Kennebunk-based Kennebunk Savings Bank recently promoted Stephen Soubble to senior vice president and chief financial officer. Previously, Soubble worked as an investments and deposit manager.

Portland-based Runyon Kersteen Ouellette, a provider of accounting auditing, consulting and tax services, recently announced the following promotions: from assistant accountant to staff accountant, Rebecca Simpson; from staff accountant to in-charge accountant Tim Gill, Rory O’Brion, Patrick Sage and Derek Laverriere; and from manager to senior manager, Peter Way, Casey Leonard and Hank Farrah.

Portland-based Baker Newman Noyes, an accounting and consulting firm, recently announced the following promotions: Janet Hodgdon to director of healthcare development in the healthcare consulting division, and Steven Palleschi to senior auditor.

OA Centers for Orthopaedics recently promoted Jared Buzzell to physical therapy manager at the new OA Performance Center in Saco. Previously, Buzzell managed the golf performance program at the OA Performance Center.

Maine Medical Center in Portland recently announced the following promotions: Tiffany Townsend to director of employee health services and Kim Bassett to director of operations for medical affairs. Previously, Townsend worked as manager of employee health services and Basset held leadership roles in rehabilitation medicine and speech-language pathology.

Portland-based Reliv International, a direct-selling company that provides nutritional supplements, recently promoted Gail Cote to director. Previously, Cote worked as an independent distributor.

Kennebunk Savings Bank recently promoted Dennis Byrd to executive vice president and chief operating officer. Previously, Byrd held the positions of executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer at Kennebunk Savings Bank’s Rivergreen Bank of Kennebunk.

Garrand, a marketing and communications firm in Portland, recently promoted Laura Marston to account executive. Previously, Marston served as director of traffic.

Appointments

Jamie Kaplan, executive director of The Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness in Portland, has been named one of 14 inaugural Advanced Leadership Fellows at Harvard University for 2009.

Blaine Riggle, assistant vice president and counsel in the law department at Unum in South Portland, was recently named chair of the Muskie Fund for Legal Services’ Dinner Committee.

The board of directors for HealthInfoNet a nonprofit corporation in Manchester, recently elected David Howes, president and CEO of Martin’s Point Health Care, as its chairman.   

Spotlight

In its seventh year of teaching boat-building and rowing to at-risk youth in the greater Portland area, The Compass Project is opening a satellite boat building program in Brunswick for its youth apprentice program.

The goal of the satellite program is to teach youth the latest composite technology being used in the boat building industry. The program is a collaboration between the Compass Project, Jobs for Maine Graduates and the Maine Advanced Technology Center, a Southern Maine Community College campus in Brunswick. Students from Morse High School in Bath began the 16-week program at the Maine Advanced Technology Center in late January.

Since 2002, more than 900 youth from Greater Portland elementary, middle and high schools have participated in Compass Project programs.

Company news

Woolwich-based Reed & Reed, the contractor that built the Stetson Wind Farm project in Danforth, recently provided equipment and equipment training for the newly commissioned wind farm to the Danforth Fire Department.

Fisher & Phillips LLP, a national labor and employment law firm headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., recently announced its expansion into Portland in a merger with labor and employment boutique Moss Shapiro of Portland. Fisher & Phillips’ Portland office is managed by partner Jonathan Shapiro, who is joined by five other Moss Shapiro attorneys.

Brown & Meyers, a Portland-based business service provider, is working with Thomas Hillman of Thomas Hillman Design of South Portland to assemble a “virtual agency” to execute an integrated sales and marketing plan. The work includes strategic planning, brand design, advertising, direct marketing, sales support, Web marketing and public relations.

KeyBank recently celebrated the re-opening of its branch at 162 High St. in Ellsworth. The renovations of the 3,700-square-foot building took roughly six months and were designed to fit the character of Ellsworth.

Blue Marble Geographics, a developer and provider of geographic software products in Gardiner, recently announced Applied Geodesy training sessions featuring the Geographic Calculator and the Geographic Transformer in conjunction with the Fifth Annual Map Middle East Conference in Dubai, UAE. The daylong sessions are in-depth training courses based on these two data conversion applications.

The Sidney J. Watson Arena at Bowdoin College in Brunswick recently opened. The ice arena relies heavily on recycled building materials, high-efficiency refrigeration and mechanical systems, along with excellent indoor air quality.

Portland-based Goodwill Industries of Northern New England recently announced a new partnership with Dell Computers. The program, ReConnect, offers Maine residents a way to recycle any brand of computer and parts. Consumers can drop off used computers at any Goodwill store in northern New England, including 19 stores and six attended donation centers throughout the state of Maine.

Bath-based Maine Hosting Solutions, a web design and hosting firm, recently completed two major projects for the city of Bath and Main Street Bath.

Maine ski resorts Sunday River in Bethel Village and Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley are putting out “Winter Stimulus Packages” by dropping ski-and-stay package pricing for Presidents’ Day and week between 20% and 33% lower than last year.

In a January survey of 57 Portland Buy Local member businesses, 79% said that the Buy Local campaign had a positive impact on their business and 68% said they gained new customers as a result of it.

Bangor-based WBRC Architects — Engineers recently announced a sponsorship and affiliation with the Architecture, Construction and Engineering Mentor Program founded in Hampden. The ACE Mentor Program was created to address the growing need for skilled professionals in the architecture, construction and engineering industries.

Joseph Lee, the president of Saint Joseph’s College, recently announced the school has completed a comprehensive review of its operating and personnel budgets and has identified $1 million in reductions that will take effect immediately. These reductions constitute approximately 3% of the 2008-2009 operating budget and are exclusive of college funds dedicated to financial aid to students.

In 2008, MaineShare, a company that donates to charities directly from participants’ paychecks, distributed 14% more to its members compared with last year. MaineShare groups received over $309,000, or an average of $8,300, from donors through their annual workplace giving campaign. This is the largest increase since 2001.

The Scarborough-based Wine Outlet is the newest addition to the local chain of wine discount stores collectively called The Wine Outlets of Maine. The Wine Outlets of Maine have opened three locations along coastal Maine within the past year and are offering a wine delivery service to attract customers.

The Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 84th annual awards dinner recently took place at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. The evening attracted more than 350 attendees from chamber member businesses and the local community. It was an evening of award presentations and tributes to the accomplishments of many organizations and individuals.

The Portland Harbor Hotel in Portland is donating proceeds raised from admission charges to its recent annual ice bar to area charitable organizations. During the three-day event, a different organization was represented each night at the entrance. The Portland Harbor Hotel’s door fees will be split between the Keep ME Warm fund, the Southern Maine Chapter of Share Our Strength and The Center for Grieving Children.

Julie Dodge and Libby Davis of The Allen Agency, an insurance company with offices in Rockland, Camden and Saco, have both achieved an accredited customer service representative designation. Dodge and Davis work in personal lines.

Bohler Productions Inc. and FOX23 WPFO, both of Portland, recently teamed up to launch FOX23 Lifestyle: Television for the Way You Live. This series of shows will be produced in a magazine format with each show capturing the people and places of Maine. The new programming is set to debut in spring 2009.

Accolades

Stephen Gilson, professor of social work and interdisciplinary disability studies at the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies on the University of Maine Orono campus, recently received the 2008 Multicultural Council Award for Leadership in Diversity from the National Association of University Centers on Disabilities.

The Better World Campaign recently announced that Roger Doiron of the nonprofit group Kitchen Gardeners International of Scarborough won the OnDayOne.org contest with his “Eat the View” campaign to plant an organic vegetable garden on the White House lawn. The contest collected over 4,000 ideas and nearly 70,000 votes to identify the top recommendation for the incoming Obama administration.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds, an international seed retailer in Winslow, announced that its Honey Bear acorn squash is the recipient of a 2009 Mailorder Gardening Association Green Thumb Award. Bridgewater-based Wood Prairie Farm’s new Organic Prairie Blush Potato also received the Green Thumb Award from the Mailorder Gardening Association as one of the top six plant introductions of 2009.

Wine Enthusiast magazine recognized Freeport-based Cold River Vodka as one of the “Top 50 Spirits” named to the national magazine’s annual selection of top domestic and international spirits. Cold River Vodka was the top-rated vodka on Wine Enthusiast’s spirits list this year, and earned the magazine’s only “Classic (96-100) / Highest Recommendation” rating for vodka in 2008.

Oxford Networks recently announced that employee Bob Cook has celebrated his 30th year of employment with the company. Cook, who serves as the facilities, fleet and safety manager, started with the company in 1978 as an installation and repair technician.

Portland-based real estate service provider Weichert, Realtors — Waterglen Group recently recognized two of its top brokers for 2008. Mary Desjarding was awarded Broker of the Year — Units Sold and Jim Walsh was awarded Broker of the Year — Sales Volume. Weichert, Realtors — Waterglen Group also recognized David Karl Roberts as its Top Producer for December 2008.

College of the Atlantic’s GIS Laboratory received one of the highest awards in its field at the 2008 ESRI International GIS User Conference in San Diego, a “Special Achievement in GIS” award.

Rachel Talbot Ross, president of the Portland Chapter of the NAACP, was selected to receive the Roger Baldwin Award from the Maine Civil Liberties Union at the organization’s annual meeting. Ross also serves as director of equal opportunity and multicultural affairs for the city of Portland.

Bensenville, Ill.-based lia Sophia, an in-home demonstration jewelry sales company, recently announced that Christine Zachman of South Portland received top honors as an Excellent Beginnings Program Achiever for her outstanding sales accomplishments and professionalism.

Inland Hospital in Waterville recently announced that board-certified proctologist Brian Gillis has been named Proctologist of the Year by the American Osteopathic Society of Proctology.

Maine Bank & Trust recently announced that Janet Butland, vice president and market manager of the Biddeford branch, was recognized by the Biddeford Saco Chamber of Commerce and received the Distinguished Service Award for her contributions to the chamber and for her participation in community activities. Butland was also named a member of the board of directors.

The Maine Eastern Railroad was listed as one of the top four attractions in the Pine Tree State in the 2009 ABA Motorcoach Marketer, a publication of the American Bus Association.

John Hatcher of Portland-based The Hatcher Group — Keller Williams Realty Greater Portland was recognized as the Top Group in Closings in November and December 2008 and Team of the Year in 2008 among all the Keller Williams agents in the Portland market center.

The Maine Potato Board recently named fifth-generation farmer Randy Leavitt “2008 Young Farmer of the Year.” Leavitt and his family have farms in Limestone and Fort Fairfield.

The National Committee for Quality Assurance and the American Diabetes Association recently said Forrest West from Lovejoy Health Center in Albion was honored by the Diabetes Physician Recognition Program for providing quality care to his patients with diabetes.

Professor Harlan Onsrud at the University of Maine has been selected for a Fulbright Specialists project in law at The University of Melbourne during February and March 2009, according to the U.S. Dept. of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Skowhegan-based Gifford’s Ice Cream was recognized with three national industry awards for its chocolate, vanilla and orange sherbet flavors at the National Ice Cream Retailers Association Inc. annual convention and at the Dairy Expo Championship Produce Contest.