Sharon and Mark ShuffieldFifieldJordanBushey

How sweet it is: Portland ice cream maker Top Gun finalist

Sticky Sweet, Portland’s first plant-based ice cream company, won a $25,000 prize as one of two winners of the annual Top Gun entrepreneur contest, according to a May 24 press release. 

According to its Kickstarter page, Sticky Sweet, located at 119 Cumberland Ave.,  makes ice cream from scratch in small batches without dairy, eggs, gluten, cane sugar, refined sugars or artificial ingredients. Organic coconut sugar, organic maple and dates are the only sweeteners used.

Ten regional semi-finalists competed for two cash prizes; scoring was based on presentation, innovation, scalability and feasibility. Neuright Inc., a biotech spin-off from the University of Maine, was the other winner. 

Hires, promotions, appointments

Several local officers were among those recently graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy: Amanda J Hogg, Falmouth Police; Patrick Landrigan and Matthew Payoczkowski, Portland Police; Nono Mukwayanzo and Ginger Ryll,  South Portland Police; and Kevin A Santora, University Southern Maine Police.

Fr. Dominic Savio has been appointed as parochial vicar of the Portland peninsula and island parishes at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Sacred Heart/St. Dominic Parish, St. Louis Parish and St. Peter Parish, as well as St. Christopher Parish on Peaks Island.

The Maine Real Estate & Development Association announced Josh Fifield of Portland, a senior account executive with Clark Insurance, has been elected vice president of the board.

Tracey M. Daigle has become an equity owner at Robinson Smith Wealth Advisors in Portland. 

Stephen Bushey, a South Portland resident and senior associate with Gorrill-Palmer Consulting Engineers, has been elected to the board of directors of Friends of Casco Bay.

Transitions

The Portland Public Library has a new logo to help reintroduce the library and its programming to the community.

The new look “is a springboard to discovering the always-evolving identity of the library and its offerings as an epicenter for lifelong experiential learning, civic and cultural gatherings, and partnership in community-wide innovation,” the organization said in a press release.

Giving back

To celebrate their 70^th birthday, twin Maine siblings Sharon and Mark Duffield have penned a short story, “Coranzo,” a tale of two orphan sisters from a land unknown who were found abandoned under a giant oak tree. The story is being offered free to any Maine publication, periodical, magazine or newsletter that wishes to feature it.

“We’ve always wanted to give a gift to Maine, a place we love so much,” Sharon Duffield said.

The twins also collaborated on “The Last Shepard” and “Tales of the Tenth Ornament” to fight childhood cancer and “As I Recall: Fireflies in the Night” to support Boston’s Museum of Science.

Evergreen Credit Union donated computers and other technology valued at over $20,000 to Westbrook Regional Vocational Center.

“We try whenever possible to repurpose our technology,” IT Vice President Nathan Davis said. “We know students at the vocational center will benefit on many levels.”

Open for business

WordLab, a public relations apprenticeship program, is a new company that opened over the winter with the aim of grooming young professionals. Certified by the Department of Labor’s Maine Apprenticeship Program, with funding from the city of Portland, the business model serves clients that otherwise could not afford a full-service agency.

David Jordan, a clinical counselor with over 30 years experience, including working at Mercy Recovery Center, announces the opening of his office at Meadow Wind, 100 Gray Road in Falmouth. Jordan will be using his experience with treating addiction to help families and people facing addiction.