In short from July 13, 2009 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New Hires

Beacon Occupational Health, an occupational and environmental healthcare facility in Portland, recently hired Kris Dorer as practice manager. Previously, Dorer was a business owner and nonprofit management consultant.

Big Horizon Mortgage Corp. in Kennebunk recently hired Terry Dalglish to originate residential mortgage loans.

Preti Flaherty, a law firm in Portland, recently hired Richard Ploss as an of counsel attorney and Paul Greene as an associate. Previously, Ploss practiced as a solo attorney in Bedminster, N.J. Greene is also an adjunct professor in media studies at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.

The Appalachian Mountain Club in Greenville recently hired Gary Dethlefsen as operations manager for the organization’s Maine Woods Initiative. Previously, Dethlefsen developed and managed Maine Mountain Soap and Candle Co. in Greenville.

Winxnet, an IT consulting firm in Portland, recently hired Lisa Saulter to its sales team, where she will focus on new business development in New England. Previously, Saulter worked in sales and business development for Microsoft Corporation.

York County Community College in Wells recently hired Tracey Cornell as a faculty member in its criminal justice degree program. Previously, Cornell was a crime analyst with the Portland Police Department.

The Corner Room Kitchen and Bar in Portland recently hired Sean Doherty as chef de cuisine. Previously, Doherty was sous chef at The Edge restaurant at the Inn at Ocean’s Edge in Lincolnville.

The Grill Room and Bar in Portland recently hired Mark Teffenhart as kitchen manager and Brian Harnois as the morning sous chef. Previously, Harnois was the executive chef at the Falmouth Sea Grill and Teffenhart was chef de cuisine at Mel’s Bar and Grill in Denver, Colo.

Rinck Advertising in Auburn recently hired Deanna Kilbreth as copywriter. Kilbreth is currently pursuing a degree in arts and humanities at the University of Southern Maine.

Portland-based law firm Pierce Atwood recently hired Randall Rich as a partner in the firm’s energy practice group. Previously, Rich worked at the law firm Bracewell and Guiliani in Washington, D.C. 

Northeast Bank, headquartered in Lewiston, recently hired Jason Norton as a mortgage loan officer at its Brunswick branch. Previously, Norton was the vice president and branch manager at TD Banknorth in Brunswick.

E.S. Boulos Co., an electrical contracting company, recently hired Paul Brown as senior estimator at its Westbrook office location.  

Merrill Bank in Bangor recently hired Jeff Russell as an assistant vice president in the trust and investment services division. Previously, Russell was an associate attorney at Preti Flaherty’s Augusta office.

The Allen Agency, an employee benefits and financial services company in Camden, recently hired Barbara Hatch as a commercial lines customer service agent.

MaineGeneral Health in Augusta recently hired Eric Conrad as director of marketing and communications. Previously, Conrad was the executive editor of the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel.

FISC Solutions, an outsourcing service provider headquartered in Lewiston, recently hired Amanda Piper as director of loan operations. Previously, Piper was vice president of financial services at Hannaford Associates Federal Credit Union.

The Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce recently hired Adam DeSanctis as manager of communication and marketing. DeSanctis is a recent graduate of the University of Maine.

The University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College recently hired Joyce Taylor Gibson as dean. Previously, Gibson was a senior administrator and professor at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell.

Promotions

Down East Enterprise Inc., a publishing company in Rockport, recently promoted Kathleen Fleury to associate editor and Paul Doiron to editor-in-chief for all Down East-branded products. Previously, Fleury was assistant editor and Doiron was editor-in-chief of Down East magazine.

The Grill Room and Bar in Portland recently promoted Joseph Higgins to executive sous chef. Previously, Higgins was the sous chef.

The Front Room restaurant in Portland recently promoted Tory Bridgman to sous chef. Previously, Bridgman was a line cook.

U.S. Cellular in South Portland recently promoted Lindsay Robinson to associate relations representative for New England. Previously, Robinson was an administrative assistant to the director of sales.

Penobscot Valley Hospital in Lincoln recently promoted Sarah Loman to director of human resources. Previously, Loman was a compliance officer.

Kennebunk Savings Bank in Kennebunk recently promoted Jill Peter to senior vice president of credit administration.

Community Concepts Inc., a nonprofit social services organization in South Paris and Auburn, recently promoted Mike Burke to CEO. Previously, Burke, was acting CEO.

Acadia Hospital, a nonprofit psychiatric and chemical dependency treatment provider in Bangor, recently promoted Diane Ouellette to associate chief nursing officer.

Appointments

The Southern Maine Community College foundation board in South Portland recently elected the following new officers: Robert Lynch, of Lynch Chiropractic Arts Center in South Portland, to president; Tim Walton, director of external affairs at Cianbro in Brewer, to vice chair of the foundation board; and Sean O’Hare, principal of O’Hare Associates in South Portland, to treasurer.

Kris Doody, CEO of Cary Medical Center in Caribou, was recently appointed chair of the Maine Hospital Association Board of Directors.

KeyBank recently appointed Roberta Winchell, CEO of the Law Office of Roberta E. Winchell in Bangor, to its national Key4Women advisory board.

The christophermichaelsullivan art company in Portland recently appointed the following to its advisory board: Fathima Mohiuddin, visual arts and special projects manager at DUCTAC in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Daniel Moore, Ph.D. candidate in English literature at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario; Ben Strauss-Malcolm, director of Quint Contemporary Art in San Diego, Calif.; and Sam Strauss-Malcolm, fashion designer for Ralph Lauren.

Gov. John Baldacci recently appointed the following to the board of directors of the Maine International Trade Center: Kathy Billings, vice president of corporate relations at Bangor Hydro Electric Co. in Bangor; Christopher Paradis, marketing and business development manager at Elmet Technologies in Lewiston; and Brian Perkins, president of New Generation Network Inc. in Portland.

Community Concepts Inc., a nonprofit social services organization in South Paris and Auburn, recently elected the following to its board of directors: Michael Beaulieu, Nimo Jama, Gail Phoenix and Matthew Peterson.

Cheverus High School in Portland recently appointed the following new members to its board of trustees: Anthony Chiasson, co-founding partner and the director of research for Level Global Investors in Greenwich, Conn.; and Edward Dilworth, a retired banking professional.

Susan Henderson, a professor at Saint Joseph’s College in Standish and president of the American Nursing Association in Maine, was recently appointed to the Maine Quality Forum Advisory Council, a group that includes health care consumers, providers, payers and insurers.

Spotlight

Recreation resorts Sunday River in Newry, Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley and Saddleback Maine in Rangeley; the Appalachian Mountain Club in Boston, Mass.; Maine Huts and Trails in Kingfield; rafting and recreation outfitters Northern Outdoors in The Forks; and New England Outdoor Center in Millinocket recently collaborated to create a set of nature-based vacation packages for travelers visiting a section of inland Maine from Bethel to Millinocket called the Maine Woods Discovery.

The coalition has organized summer and fall vacation package activities, including geo-caching, fly fishing, hiking and touring a mineral mine or submerged village, according to a press release. Other partners in the Maine Woods Discovery program include the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Bethel Outdoor Adventure and the Maine Crafts Association.

Company News

Harding Lee Smith, owner of the Front Room Restaurant and Bar in Portland and the Grill Room and Bar in Portland, recently opened his new restaurant, the Corner Room Kitchen and Bar, in Portland.

South Portland-based CashStar, an interactive gifting and incentives company, recently announced that CVS pharmacy, headquartered in Woonsocket, R.I., now offers CashStar-powered interactive gift cards in all of its stores.

The Penobscot Bay Medical Center Creative Learning and Childcare Center in Rockland recently announced that the following four teachers at the center have earned a child development associate credential from the Council for Professional Recognition in Washington, D.C.: Cyndi Hawksley, Bonita Wincapaw, Sharon Kittredge and Karen Russell.

Waco, Texas-based Rainbow International Restoration and Cleaning, a fire, water and smoke-damage restoration and cleaning service, recently announced a partnership with Portland Glass, a full-service glass company, by placing a Rainbow International franchise office in the following Portland Glass locations: Portsmouth and Manchester, N.H.; Rutland and Burlington, Vt.; and Bangor and Portland.

The Maine Community Foundation’s people of color fund committee, headquartered in Ellsworth, recently awarded nearly $64,000 in grants for projects related to leadership training and organizational development in Maine’s people of color community.

Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry recently opened the Sunday River Mountain Bike Park for the season.

Stantec, an environmental management consultation firm based in Canada, recently announced that two wildlife biologists in its Topsham office have earned professional certifications: Dana DeGraaf is now a certified fisheries professional and Dan Nein has been accepted by the Wildlife Society as a certified wildlife biologist.

Researchers at the University of Maine’s Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center in Orono were recently issued a patent for technology to improve oriented strand board, which is used in the majority of single-family homes in North America, as well as a significant portion of multi-family, commercial and industrial facilities.

Putney Inc., a Portland pharmaceutical company that develops generic drugs for pets, recently announced the launch of carprofen caplets, a bioequivalent generic version of the canine medication Rimadyl caplets.

Eleven coastal communities were recently awarded 12 new Shore and Harbor Planning Grants totaling more than $140,000. The grant program is administered by the Maine State Planning Office’s Maine coastal program, with funding support provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the submerged lands program at the Maine Department of Conservation. 

Bella Terra Maps, a publisher in Glendale, Colo., recently published the new edition of the Maine Lighthouses Illustrated Map and Guide, which shows the locations of every standing and “lost” lighthouse in Maine, New Brunswick and New Hampshire.

Portland-based Mister Bagel recently celebrated the opening of its new location in Brunswick.

Harriman, an architecture and engineering firm in Auburn, recently announced that Jessica Johnson and Daniel Ellingson have received their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accreditation.

Keith Smith, a registered landscape architect and associate at Terrence J. DeWan and Associates in Yarmouth, recently received his Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accreditation.

Portland-based brewery Gritty McDuff’s Brewing Co. recently announced a new selection of beers in its Gritty Dozen Variety Pack. The variety pack now includes four Original Pub Styles, three 21 IPAs, three Best Browns and three bottles of one of the Seasonal Ales, beers brewed in limited production based on the time of year.

Jeffrey Thaler, a partner in the Portland-based law firm Bernstein Shur, was recently chosen by 27,000 worldwide alumni of Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., to serve a three-year term as an administrator of the college’s Tyng Bequest scholarship fund.

Franklin Community Health Network recently announced that Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington is one of three rural hospitals in Maine to partner with Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston and Maine Medical Center in Portland to become a teaching site for medical students.

mWAVE Industries, a designer and manufacturer of antenna products in Windham, recently reported record sales in 2008 due to a large order from a radio manufacturer for a ruggedized version of its grid antenna to be used for a U.S. military project.

Readfield-based Saunders Manufacturing, which makes clipboards, aluminum form holders and storage boxes, recently announced its partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency’s WasteWise program. The program ensures its certified members are continually working to prevent unnecessary waste.

MaineHousing recently selected Burgess Advertising and Marketing in Portland to provide marketing, advertising and public relations support on various projects. The agency’s first task was assisting with the “Gift of Green” campaign launched June 18.

College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor recently announced a $100,000 donation to the Allan Stone Chair in the Visual Arts from Agnes Gund.

The University of Southern Maine recently announced that, beginning in the fall of 2009, students will be able to major in sport management as part of the School of Business bachelor’s degree program in business administration.

Edwards Family Shop ‘n Save, which has locations in Hampden, Unity and Dover-Foxcroft, recently announced that it will incorporate Hannaford Bros. Co.’s Guiding Stars rating system into its supermarkets. The Guiding Stars system gives each item throughout the grocery store a zero- to three-star rating according to its nutritional value to help shoppers quickly identify nutritional foods.

Penobscot Eye Care recently broke ground on a new building in Brewer. The facility was designed by Lewis and Malm Architects in Bucksport and is being constructed by Nickerson and O’Day Inc. in Bangor.

The Portland-based nonprofit Institute for Civic Leadership recently marked the graduation of 34 members from its 15-day Institute for Civic Leadership Intensive with a recognition celebration in June. The program teaches collaborative and facilitative leadership skills to senior and middle management in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Winxnet Inc., an IT consulting firm in Portland, recently announced it has doubled its business with Maine’s health care industry.

Future Fuel Technologies Inc. in Lewiston recently announced it has shipped pallet quantities of its FFT Fuel-Saver, a patented fuel additive that burns fuel more efficiently, to Ecofiers in Stockholm, Sweden.

The 119-suite Embassy Suites in Portland recently announced the completion of an 18-month, $4.5 million renovation of its guest rooms and public areas.

SERVPRO, a provider of fire, water, mold and other specialty cleanup and restoration services in Portland and South Portland, recently opened its new location in Gorham.

Weichert, Realtors - Waterglen Group in Portland recently announced that Jim Walsh, a broker with the firm, completed a series of short sale seminars specializing in working with homeowners facing financial problems.

Camden Harbour Inn in Camden and Cellardoor Winery in Lincolnville have partnered to create a wine camp. The camp was recently highlighted in the Wall Street Journal’s June article on “Camps for Grown-Ups.”

Bangor International Airport recently awarded contracts to Sutherland Weston in Bangor and Swardlick Marketing Group in Portland for public relations, and advertising and marketing, respectively.

The town of Manchester recently signed a five-year contract for recycling with Portland-based ecomaine, a nonprofit and community-owned recycling and waste disposal organization.

Portland-based sandwich shop Amato’s recently celebrated the grand opening of its new store in Freeport.

Androscoggin Head Start and Child Care’s Early Head Start Center in Lewiston recently earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, a national organization of early childhood professionals.

Virtual Quality, a quality consulting firm in Sanford, recently developed a two-hour training program on ASME Y14.5M 2009 Dimensioning Tolerance.

Will Haskell, engineer and vice president of Gorrill-Palmer Consulting Engineers Inc. in Gray, recently received his Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accreditation and an erosion, sedimentation and stormwater inspector certification.

Racine, Wis.-based Johnson Outdoors Inc., parent company of Old Town Canoe, recently announced it will create up to 48 jobs in Old Town as a result of consolidating its sport brands to its Old Town facility.

Accolades

Know Technology, a Microsoft gold-certified partner and provider of IT solutions and support services headquartered in Camden, recently received the 2009 Microsoft Partner of the Year Award from Networking Infrastructure Solutions, a Microsoft partner program.

Alan Bromley, principal at WBRC Architects and Engineers in Bangor, was recently recognized as Citizen Planner of the Year by the Maine Association of Planners. 

KG Partners, an advertising, public relations and interactive agency in Portland, recently won five Compass Awards from the Transportation Marketing and Communications Association for work done on behalf of its client, Con-way Inc. in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Mark Publicker, medical director of the Mercy Recovery Center at Mercy Health System in Portland, was recently named 2009 Maine Hospital Association Caregiver of the Year.

Cold River Vodka in Freeport recently earned a rave review from The Washington Post’s spirits columnist, Jason Wilson.

Preble Street, a service provider to people with homelessness, housing, hunger and poverty problems in Portland, recently gave out the following awards: Leon Gorman of Yarmouth, Volunteer of the Year; John Marshall, creative director of WPXT and WPME, Force for Good award; Donna Yellen, community initiatives and advocacy coordinator for Preble Street, Joseph D. Kreisler Community Impact award; and John Heald, retired paper industry executive, Board Member of the Year award. The following received the Community Partners award: Sen. Justin Alfond of Cumberland County; Bob Rowe, executive director of New Beginnings in Lewiston; and Carol Whitney, executive director of Shaw House in Bangor.

CrossRate Technology, a manufacturer of positioning and heading compass devices in Windham, recently received the New Technology of the Year award from TechMaine for its eLGPS 1110 device.

According to the Michael White – Prudential Bank Insurance Fee Income Report, released in June, Northeast Bancorp in Lewiston ranked fourth in the country among bank-holding companies with assets between $500 million and $1 billion for the 2008 calendar year.

Mount Desert Island Ice Cream in Bar Harbor was recently recognized as a 2009 Editors’ Choice in Yankee Magazine’s Travel Guide to New England.

Travel + Leisure named the Camden Harbour Inn in Camden one of “23 Seaside Inns We Love” in its July issue.

The Modular Home Builders Association of Maine in Augusta recently honored long-time member Rich Cromwell, former owner of The Modular Advantage in Brunswick.

The Maine Development Foundation recently presented WCSH 6 in Portland with a 2009 Maine Downtown Center Award, recognizing the television news station’s Sidewalk Art Festival as an outstanding special or retail event. 

Cleveland, Ohio-based KeyBank recently celebrated the anniversaries of the following two employees: Cheri Doak, senior vice president and district retail leader in Presque Isle, is celebrating her 20th anniversary; and Charlie Kennedy, vice president of community development in Portland, is celebrating his 30th anniversary.

Roberta Wright, event services director at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, was recently inducted into the Event and Arena Marketing Hall of Fame at the organization’s annual conference in Colorado Springs, Colo. 

Virginia Eddy, a trauma surgeon at Maine Medical Center in Portland and a clinical professor at the University of Vermont School of Medicine in Burlington, Vt., was honored with three awards by the recent graduating class of the University of Vermont School of Medicine.

Maine Audubon recently awarded Portland-based law firm Richardson, Whitman, Large and Badger with the 2009 Maine Audubon Distinguished Contribution Award. The following also received awards from Maine Audubon: Charlie Todd, wildlife biologist at Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the 2009 Maine Audubon Wildlife Conservation Award; Anita Bernhardt, state science and technology specialist for the Maine Department of Education, the 2009 Maine Audubon Educator of the Year Award; and Richard Anderson, Gladys Ewing, Joyce Rumery, Bryce Smith, Jim Zeman and Kathy Zeman each received the 2009 Maine Audubon Volunteer of the Year Award.