In short from July 27, 2009 | A roundup of new hires, promotions, accolades and appointments from Maine's business community

New Hires

Portland-based MEMIC, a worker’s compensation insurance company, recently hired Daniel McGarvey as chief financial officer and senior vice president for finance. Previously, McGarvey was executive vice president at Associated Industries Insurance Services Inc. in Boca Raton, Fla.

Sanford Institution for Savings recently hired Karen Ashley as a market manager. Previously, Ashley was vice president of business development and sales manager for TD Banknorth in Portland.

Gorham Copy Center in Gorham recently hired Don Cross as manager. Previously, Cross was the manager at Working Words and Graphics in Gorham.

Scott Shulman, a neurologist, recently joined MaineGeneral Health Associates in Waterville. Previously, Shulman was the director of Stroke and Inpatient Neurologic Services at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. MaineGeneral Health Associates also recently hired Syed Irfan Ali, a family medicine physician, to its active medical staff at its Augusta campus. Previously, Ali completed two years of general surgery residency at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C.

Goold Health Services, a health care management company focusing on state Medicaid services in Augusta, recently hired Jude Walsh as its director of business development. Previously, Walsh was an assistant in the Governor’s Office of Health Policy and Finance.

Diversified Appraisal Services in Scarborough recently hired Russell Barrows as a partner and vice president of its appraisal department. Previously, Barrows owned and operated Cumberland-York Appraisal.

Weatherization Wizards, based in Auburn, recently hired Kim Goding as office manager. Previously, Goding worked for SeniorsPlus as marketing and outreach coordinator.

Saddleback Maine, a ski resort in Rangeley, recently hired Greg Andrews as controller and director of finance.

Androscoggin Bank in Lewiston recently hired Thomas Zuke as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Previously, Zuke served as senior audit manager at Baker Newman Noyes in Portland.

Disability RMS, a reinsurance provider in Westbrook, recently hired Carol Taylor as a human resources consultant. Previously, Taylor served as a human resources coordinator for Acadia Insurance Co. in Westbrook.

Northeast Bank, headquartered in Lewiston, recently hired Jeremy Mastro as a mortgage loan officer serving the greater Portsmouth, N.H., region.

InfoSecurus Inc., an information security services firm in South Portland, recently hired Tracee Patterson Falconer as director of governmental affairs. Previously, Falconer was an adjunct professor at the University of New England in Portland and Thomas College in Waterville.

Portland-based Putney Inc., a pharmaceutical company that develops generic and specialty drugs for pets, recently hired Elizabeth Johnson as manager of veterinary services. Previously, Johnson was a veterinarian at Harleysville Veterinary Hospital in Pennsylvania.

Plano, Texas-based collegiate sports marketing company Learfield Sports recently hired Melissa Everitt as an account executive at its subsidiary, Black Bear Sports Properties, the exclusive multimedia rights holder for University of Maine athletics in Orono. Previously, Everitt was a capital campaign director at Cape Fear Academy in Wilmington, N.C.

MaineGeneral Health in Augusta recently hired Lisa Hallee as vice president of philanthropy. Previously, Hallee was a senior major gifts officer at Colby College in Waterville.

Hall Web Services, a web design and Internet marketing firm in Portland, recently hired Kasi Ehlers to its search marketing team. 

Northeast Financial in Falmouth recently hired Odias Bachelder as a financial adviser.

Martin’s Point Health Care in Portland recently hired Elizabeth Johnson as chief medical officer. Previously, Johnson was chief of internal medicine and adult urgent care at the Kenmore Center in Boston, Mass. 

Promotions

Berry Dunn McNeil and Parker, an accounting firm in Portland, recently promoted Barbara McGuan, a member of the firm’s tax services group, to principal.

GrowSmart in Portland, a nonprofit that advocates for sustainable economic growth, recently promoted Maggie Drummond from advocacy director to interim president.

Northeast Bank in Lewiston recently promoted Craig Linscott to senior vice president of the bank’s insurance subsidiary, Northeast Bank Insurance Group.

Michèle Gasco, vice president and branch administration officer at Maine Bank and Trust in Portland, was recently promoted to customer experience manager for all 13 of the bank’s branches.

U.S. Cellular in Bangor recently promoted Shane Leketa from sales manager to store manager, and U.S. Cellular in Portland recently promoted Kirk Fongemie from network field engineer to senior network field engineer.

Norway Savings Bank recently promoted the following five vice presidents: Karen Hakala to senior vice president of marketing; Brian Shibles to senior vice president and chief financial officer; Carolyn Thomas to senior vice president of commercial administration; Richelle Wallace to senior vice president of human resources; and Steve Whitney to senior vice president of risk management.

Appointments

Sibyl Masquelier, president of Executive Resource Group Inc., an executive recruiting firm in Cape Elizabeth that serves the communications and energy industries, was named to the board of directors of the Press Institute for Women in the Developing World.

Mark Mickeriz, president and CEO of Sanford Institution for Savings, was recently elected chairman of the Maine Association of Community Banks.

The Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce recently appointed Karen Cole as acting director of the chamber.

The Maine Real Estate and Development Association recently elected the following officers to its board of directors for 2009/2010 fiscal year: Raymond Cota of Webber Oil Co. in Bangor as president; Dana Totman of Avesta Housing in Portland as vice president; Thomas Lea of Maine Bank and Trust in Portland as vice president; William Shanahan of Northern New England Housing Investment Fund in Portland as treasurer; James Otis of Otis and Atwell in South Portland as assistant treasurer; and Dennis Keeler of Pierce Atwood in Portland as secretary and registered agent.

Machias Savings Bank recently appointed Bob Foster, president and CEO of R.H. Foster Energy in Hampden, and Patrick Jordan, proprietor of R.F. Jordan and Sons in Ellsworth, to its board of directors.

Charles Lyons, president of York County Community College in Wells, was recently named a corporator for Kennebunk Savings Bank.   

Susan Gendron, commissioner of education for the state of Maine, was recently appointed president of the board of the Council of Chief State School Officers in Washington, D.C.

The United Way of York County recently appointed the following to its board: Jim Fitzgerald, broker at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Portland; Cindy Keohan, principal at Cummings Lamont and McNamee in Kennebunk; Marc Lessard, of Hannaford Bros. Co. in Scarborough; Brad Paige, president and chief executive officer of Kennebunk Savings Bank in Kennebunk; Mike Sullivan, marketing director at Idexx Laboratories in Westbrook; and Jeff Toner, a partner at Dietz Associates in Kennebunk.

Portland-based ecomaine, a nonprofit recycling and disposal organization owned and operated by 21 municipalities, recently elected Windham Town Manager Anthony Plante as chairman of the board. 

The Center for Grieving Children in Portland recently announced that Development Director Paul Golding was elected to serve as the president of the board for the National Alliance for Grieving Children for the 2009-2010 term.

Company News

Cellardoor Winery in Lincolnville recently released the following three new wines from its cellars for this season: The Artist Series Petite Sirah; the Prince Valiant, a five-grape blend; and Viognier.

The University of Maine at Orono and the University of Maine at Farmington recently announced a collaboration to offer a five-year dual degree program. Starting in the fall of 2009, students can spend three years pursuing a bachelor of arts degree at the Farmington campus, then attend the Orono campus for two years of study toward a bachelor of science degree in engineering.

The Maine Arts Commission recently announced that 19 nonprofit cultural organizations from Maine will receive a share of $325,000 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Maine Maritime Academy in Castine recently announced that enrollment for the college’s 68th academic year will exceed 900, making it the largest undergraduate student enrollment in the college’s history.

The Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth recently announced it has been accepted as a Virtuoso hotel, a by-invitation-only network of leisure travel agents.

The Maine Women’s Fund in Portland recently awarded nearly $80,000 in social change grants to nine organizations in Maine.

Next Day Art, a Portland-based art licensing agent and publisher, recently acquired Cardmakers Inc., a New Hampshire-based greeting card manufacturer specializing in custom printed boxed greeting cards, and intends to relocate the company to Portland.

Northeast Bank, headquartered in Lewiston, recently announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration, which guarantees qualified commercial loans for approved banks, has extended the bank’s preferred lender program status in Maine and New Hampshire for an additional two years.

Bethesda, Md.-based Marriott International Inc. recently opened a 179-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Portland. The Residence Inn Portland Downtown/Waterfront will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Chapin Realty LLC.

Nancy Marshall Communications in Augusta recently announced it has begun handling media relations and marketing services for the Northern Forest Canoe Trail Inc., based in Waitsfield, Vt.

Bar Harbor Bankshares, the parent company of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, recently announced it has been added to the Russell 2000 and Russell 3000 indices.

Stephens Waring White Yacht Design in Brooklin recently assigned its design account to Leslie Evans Design Associates in Cape Elizabeth. Leslie Evans Design Associates will create a new website, logo, stationery and marketing support material for the yacht designers.

Gritty McDuff’s Brewing Co. in Portland recently announced that its Gritty’s Cycling Team, which recently pedaled in the 2009 Trek Across Maine bike race, raised and donated more than $16,000 to the American Lung Association of Maine. 

Gorham Copy Center, a business and personal copying service company in Gorham, recently opened for business.

Camden National Corp., the parent company of Camden National Bank, recently announced that its board of directors declared a $0.25 per share dividend payable July 31 for shareholders of record.

Southern Kennebec Child Development Corp., a nonprofit early care and education organization in Farmingdale, recently announced it is now providing home-based early Head Start services for families living in Gardiner and South Gardiner as well as the surrounding towns.

The Maine Center for Enterprise Development recently announced it is recruiting technology entrepreneurs to participate in its Applied Entrepreneurship Program, also known as Top Gun. The center will work with the Maine Technology Institute to identify and support Maine’s future technology business leaders through a network of experienced mentors.

Steven Ribble, a landscape architect in Bangor, recently launched Context By Design, a Bangor-based landscape architecture and land planning consulting firm.

Falmouth-based Celsius Technology Group, a software developer, recently announced its product Celsius Publisher, a web-based, hosted platform that creates a universal content community, has been approved by the Page Cooperative, a newspaper cooperative with more than 1,500 publications in its membership, as a preferred supplier.

Tilson Technology Management, an IT consulting company in Portland, recently launched the website www.bistrolq.com for Bistro LQ, a newly opened restaurant in Los Angeles, Calif.

MaineHealth employees in Portland recently completed the 180-mile Trek Across Maine bike race to raise $45,000 for the American Lung Association of Maine.

FISC Solutions, a full-service outsourcing solutions provider headquartered in Lewiston, recently signed a contract with Down East Credit Union in Baileyville to provide check processing services. 

Pines Health Services in Presque Isle and Cary Medical Center in Caribou recently announced a new collaborative program called Company MD, located in Limestone and Presque Isle, which provides customized occupational and environmental medicine services, physical and occupational therapy and safety services for local employers.

MaineGeneral Health in Augusta recently announced its plan to open an occupational health services clinic at the Winthrop Commerce Center in downtown Winthrop.

Key Private Bank’s Michele Del Tergo, senior vice president and senior portfolio manager, and Amelia Kurtz, vice president and personal trust officer, both of Portland, recently received their trust and financial advisor certification from the Institute of Certified Bankers.

Ocean Properties Ltd., headquartered in Portsmouth, N.H., and Auburn Court recently celebrated the grand opening of the new 100-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Auburn.

Freeport Cheese and Wine recently announced it is open at its new location at 178 Main St. in Freeport.

Shoestring Creative Group, a marketing communications firm in Gardiner that serves nonprofits, recently selected Jan Price of Carmel, Calif., as a network affiliate.

Portland-based Guiding Stars, a nutrition navigation system, recently announced minor changes to the algorithm used to rate the nutrient density of food products and recipes. 

Portland-based Maine Medical Center’s urology program has earned approval from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to host the state’s only urology residency training program.

Kimberly Lindlof, president and CEO of the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce in Waterville, recently graduated from the Organization Management Institute, a four-year nonprofit leadership training program at the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga. 

The Maine Commission for Community Service recently announced the results of its 2009 grants competition. Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, headquartered in Portland, received $252,000; The Island Institute in Rockland received $126,000; and the Maine Transition Network in Augusta received $92,000.

Harriman, an architecture and engineering firm in Auburn, recently announced that Penny Myrick and David Story have received their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accreditation.

Sharon Ames, a registered architect at Barba and Wheelock Architecture, Preservation and Design in Portland, has received her Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accreditation.

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., headquartered in Springfield, Mass., recently announced plans to open a new statewide office in Portland. The location will be the company’s central headquarters in Maine.

Blue Marble Geographics, a developer and provider of geographic software products in Gardiner, recently exhibited and spoke at the ESRI Survey and Engineering Summit in San Diego, Calif. 

Tangram 3DS, an architectural visualization and computer animation firm, recently announced it has relocated its offices from Portsmouth, N.H, to Kittery.

KICTeam, a developer and manufacturer of cleaning cards headquartered in Auburn, was recently granted a patent by the U.S. Patent Office for its Waffletechnology cleaning card.

The ABC Supply Co. Inc. Solution Center in Portland, a supplier of roofing, siding, windows and other exterior building products for area contractors, has recently been redesigned to help customers understand product features and make comparisons among different product lines.

Accolades

Portland-based Ocean Renewable Power Co., a developer of technology and projects that generate power from river, tidal and deep-water ocean currents, recently received the Company Pioneer award at the 2009 Energy Ocean Conference at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. Patrick McGinnis, director of systems engineering at Ocean Renewable Power Co., received the Technology Pioneer award at the conference.

Chambers USA, a legal directory of leading attorneys and law firms, recently rated Portland-based law firm Verrill Dana as a leading firm in the following five categories:  bankruptcy; benefits and compensation; timberland and conservation; corporate mergers and acquisitions; and real estate. In addition, 21 Verrill Dana attorneys were individually recognized by Chambers USA as leaders in their fields.

Fourteen attorneys at Preti Flaherty, a law firm in Portland, were recently selected for inclusion in Chambers USA.

Chambers USA also chose Bernstein Shur, a law firm in Portland, as a leader in the following five areas of practice: real estate; corporate mergers and acquisitions; litigation; environmental; and labor and employment. In addition, 21 Bernstein Shur attorneys were ranked as leaders in their fields.

Portland-based law firm Pierce Atwood recently received number one rankings for both its litigation and environmental practice groups and was ranked number one in all five practice areas ranked by Chambers USA. Twenty-three Pierce Atwood attorneys were individually recognized within their specialties.

Rachel Armstrong and Anne Jackson recently received the 2009 Distinguished Alumnae award from the Institute for Civic Leadership in Portland. The two women co-founded The Board Network, then remained on the Institute for Civic Leadership board after its merger with The Board Network.

Surescripts, an electronic prescribing network, recently recognized Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, Healthinfonet in Portland and Martin’s Point Healthcare in Portland as key contributors driving the increase in e-prescribing in the state of Maine at its fourth annual Safe-Rx Awards in Washington, D.C. Franklin Memorial Hospital was also included in the top 25 most improved category of the nation’s most wired hospitals, according to the 2009 Most Wired Survey Benchmarking Study released in the July issue of Hospitals and Health Networks, the journal of the American Hospital Association.

Emily Scribner, a medical librarian at Farmington-based Franklin Memorial Hospital, was recently named Caregiver of the Year by the Franklin Community Health Network.

The Wellness Councils of America recently presented its Platinum Well Workplace award to Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine.

Whitney Wreath in Machias recently announced it has been selected as the provider of balsam products for the 2009 L.L.Bean holiday catalog.

William Cassidy, president of Washington County Community College in Calais, was recently awarded the Lady Dunn Award of Excellence by the St. Andrews campus of the New Brunswick Community College in New Brunswick, Canada, for his leadership in collaborative international education.

At the Maine Credit Union League’s recent annual meeting and convention in Westbrook, the following five credit unions were recognized as the 2009 honorees of the Dora Maxwell Award for Social Responsibility: With assets of $20 million-$50 million, Great Falls Federal Credit Union in Lewiston won first place and Community Credit Union in Lewiston won second place; with assets of $50 million-$100 million, Central Maine Federal Credit Union in Lewiston won first place; with assets of $100 million-$200 million, PeoplesChoice Credit Union in Saco won first place; and with assets of $200 million-$500 million, Atlantic Regional Federal Credit Union in Brunswick won first place. The following three credit unions were recognized as the 2009 honorees of the Louise Herring Philosophy in Action Award by the Maine Credit Union League: With assets of less than $50 million, Community Credit Union in Lewiston won first place; with assets of $50 million-$250 million, Down East Credit Union in Baileyville won first place and Central Maine Federal Credit Union in Lewiston won second place.

Garrand, a Portland-based communications agency, was recently awarded eight Telly Awards for its work with Portland Pirates, Maine Medical Center and Gorham Savings Bank. 

Maine Distilleries, creator of Freeport-based Cold River Vodka, recently earned the 2009 Best of Freeport award in the distilled and blended liquors category from the United States Commerce Association.