Appointments

Mary Turgeon has been appointed as chairwoman of Sweetser’s Board of Directors and John Beliveau vice-chairman. Turgeon is an architect and principal with Gawron Turgeon Architects in Scarborough and Beliveau is an investment portfolio manager with H.M. Payson in Portland.

Russell Quaglia has joined the Baxter Academies of Maine Board of Directors. Quaglia’s foundation, the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations, is headquarted in Portland, next to the University of Southern Maine. Baxter Academies of Maine is a nonprofit educational foundation proposing to open the Baxter Academy for Technology & Science in Portland next fall. Quaglia has been working extensively in England for the past year and has opened two Aspirations Academies.

The Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance recently appointed new members to its board of trustees, including: Linda Aldrich, Katie Bouton, and Gibson Fay-LeBlanc. Aldrich, of Portland, is now serving on the board’s executive committee as secretary. She is a poet and teaches at the York County Community College. Bouton, of West Bath, is the president and founder of Koya Leadership Partners, a national search firm that focuses on the nonprofit sector. Fay-LeBlanc, of Portland, is a poet and former executive director of The Telling Room.

Awards

The Chaplaincy Institute of Maine recently awarded the Planetary Chaplain Award to Wabanaki leader Denise Altvater. Altvater has created a web of connection and communication, which she views as essential to improving Wabanaki conditions. Under her 19 years of leadership, the American Friends Service Committee Wabanaki Program has grown to become a vital hub of activity for the rights of all indigenous people.

Pat Palmer, the former chairman of the Casco Bay YMCA and now corporate board secretary of the YMCA of Southern Maine, has been selected as the 2012 recipient of the Cyrus Hagge Building Strong Communities Award.

The Maine Grocers Association announced its annual awards at the Maine Food Means Business 2012 Summit recently held at the Samoset Resort. Kim Murphy of the Trenton Marketplace IGA is the 2012 Maine Grocers Association Grocer of the Year. Michaud Distributors is the 2012 Vendor of the Year and Josh Davis and Bruno Tropeano of The Gelato Fiasco were named the 2012 Producer of the Year.                                                

The Maine Public Health Association recently named Hugh H. Tilson, Sagadahoc County Health Officer, the recipient of the President’s Award. Tilson has served 15 years each in government, academia, and the multinational pharmaceutical industry.

Bath Savings Institution recently honored employees for exceptional service and commitment to customer relationships at its annual employee recognition night. Three employees were honored with Exceptional Service Awards: Casey Bedard of online services earned the Internal Customer Service Award for supporting co-workers. Mary Frank of the Freeport branch won the Tellers Exceptional Service Award for providing front line service to the bank’s customers. Amanda Coffin of the Falmouth branch won the Exceptional Customer Service Representative for excelling as a new account staff member.

Three Portland businesses were recently recognized by the Portland Development Corporation at its annual awards ceremony for their role in expanding the city’s economic vitality. The award recipients are credited with making significant contributions to Portland’s economic growth as well as increasing the city’s reputation as a hub for cutting edge music, innovative technology and great food. Receiving the 2012 Economic Development Achievement Award is The State Theatre, one of Portland’s great historic theatres and top music venues. In the last two years, the Theatre has come back stronger than ever and is having a huge impact on the city’s music scene. Receiving the 2012 Business of the Year Award, EnviroLogix has  built on its strong scientific foundation to become an industry leader in the development and manufacture of immunoassay test kits for every link in the worldwide food production chain, from seed to plant to grain handling and processing. EnviroLogix has a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Portland, and employs more than 100 people. Maine’s ability to build its reputation as an ideal location for the bioscience industry is thanks in part to the success of EnviroLogix and its commitment to Portland. The 2012 Small Business of the Year, Rosemont Market and Bakery first opened its doors in 2005 on Brighton Avenue. Since then, owners John Naylor and Scott Anderson have expanded into three more retail locations, two in Portland (at 88 Congress St., and 5 Commercial St., as well as 580 Brighton Ave.) and one in Yarmouth. The business focuses on purveying the best in produce, dairy, meats, fish, baked goods, prepared foods, wine and beer. Rosemont has established a vast network of local growers, farmers and producers to supply its shops. While the business started small, it now employs more than 50 people in Portland, and offers the quintessential local grocery store experience to three Portland neighborhoods.  

Designations

The Best Lawyers in America recently selected Patrick C. Coughlan, of Conflict Solutions, for inclusion in its 2013 edition. Coughlan has been recognized for the eighth year in a row and was selected for his work in the practice areas of mediation and arbitration.

Ecomaine has been awarded certification from the Occupational Health & Safety Assessment Series 18001 at all three of its facilities: single sort recycling, waste-to-energy, and ashfill/landfill. To retain the international certification, the facilities must continuously pass rigorous inspections every six months. Ecomaine, located in Portland, is a nonprofit waste management business owned and operated by 21 Maine municipalities; it serves 25 additional municipalities by contract and, in total, serves 25 percent of the state’s population.

The National Park Service has announced that the Teens To Trails organization was selected to receive assistance from the NPS Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program to develop their innovative College Outdoor Mentors initiative. Teens To Trails is one of only nine projects accepted in Maine this fiscal year. Teens To Trails has been promoting high school outing club programs since 2006 to ensure that outdoor experiences are available to all Maine teens. With this NPS assistance, the organization is pursuing a new initiative to provide inspirational college-aged mentors for younger students, pairing college campuses with their local high school outing clubs.

Winxnet, provider of professional IT services, was recently ranked 11th on the Best Places to Work in Maine list. The IT solutions provider shares the distinction with 31 companies in the small to medium company category of businesses with 15 to 249 employees. The awards program was established in 2006, and is a project of the Society for Human Resource Management, Maine State Council and Best Companies Group.

Steven Chicoine of Keller Williams Realty in Portland was named to the “30 Under 30” Class of 2012 by the editors of REALTOR Magazine. Each year, the magazine recognizes 30 young practitioners who are making a mark in the real estate industry through success in real estate sales, business management, leadership, or community service.

Good Deeds

The Maine Appalachian Trail Club recently announced receiving a $10,000 grant from L.L. Bean, carrying on a three-decade-long tradition. The grant supports MATC’s Caretaker and Ridgerunner Education Program at Horns Pond in the Bigelow Mountains, Piazza Rock near the Saddleback Mountain Range, and Gulf Hagas in Central Maine. Working with approximately 8,000 hikers recreating on the Appalachian Trail, MATC caretakers and ridge runners teach Leave-No-Trace ethics and provide a daily presence on trail lands to protect alpine plants, water quality and wildlife habitat, and deter vandalism.

Androscoggin Bank has awarded four grants as a part of the Bank’s MainStreet Foundation grant program. The grants awarded total $16,000 and benefit youth in Maine. MainStreet Foundation grants are provided for local organizations that support the projects, programs and initiatives that foster the development of and support the welfare of young people. Grants are typically announced four times a year. So far this year, $38,000 has been awarded. Grants were awarded to the Auburn School Department and Franklin Alternative School, the Auburn-Lewiston YMCA, Kids First Center and hear Me now.

Kathy Duca, manager of the Cape Elizabeth Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office recently presented Florence House with a donation check. All of the Cape Elizabeth agents participate in the CBRB Cares program. It is the mission of Coldwell Banker Cares to provide help and assistance for those in need, with a focus on providing shelter, particularly to children and families.

Lucas Tree Experts, a Maine-based company, mobilized more than 450 tree workers to assist 10 utility companies  in restoring power lost to residents and businesses as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Crews operated in Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York and have been mobilized as far away as South Carolina.  

New Hires and Promotions

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine recently announced hiring Perri Powell to serve as an AmeriCorps volunteer for the next year. Powell will work in several schools in Cumberland County, serving English language learners through mentoring, school skills support and community engagement. Powell was hired in partnership with the Multilingual Leadership Corps, a program of Goodwill Industries of Northern New England. Funding is provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service through the Maine Commission for Community Service. Powell joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters staff in August. She is a graduate of Eastern Washington University, where she majored in social work. Previously, she worked as a case manager with homeless women, a therapeutic foster parent through Lutheran Community Services, an AmeriCorps/Vista Leader, and as an after-school program director, all in Washington state.

At CBRE|The Boulos Company, the following individuals have been promoted to partner in the brokerage and property management divisions: Amy Booth, Paul Ureneck, Rick Donald, Kim Farrar, Jennifer McGowan, Christopher Paszyc, Joseph Porta, and Jessica Estes.

The Maine Real Estate Network in Falmouth recently hired sales agents Stephen Lawrence and Sara Trafton and broker, Benita Anderson.

Mercy Hospital has announced that Seth D. Blank, a cardiothoracic surgeon in Greater Portland, now leads its new thoracic-only focused surgical specialty practice. Blank will be joined by Joseph Schrader, to address the continuum of in-patient and out-patient care associated with thoracic surgery.

Baker Newman Noyes, an accounting and consulting firm, recently announced that the firm’s co-founder, Ellie Baker, was elected managing principal. She is a certified public accountant, and serves in leadership roles for a number of community organizations, including Maine Public Broadcasting Network, the University of Maine Board of Trustees, the Portland Symphony Orchestra Board of Trustees, and the UMaine School of Law Foundation, among others.

Martin’s Point Health Care recently hired William “Ross” Wadland as the newest addition to the internal medicine team at the Portland Health Care Center. Wadland has a specialty in geriatric medicine. He has performed various patient services, including a combination of primary care, skilled rehabilitation, inpatient medicine, medical education, and hospice care at various locations including Maine Medical Center, MMC Geriatric Center, Piper Shores, Seaside, Bay Square and Falmouth House at Oceanview. Board certified in hospice and palliative medicine, Wadland has been a staff physician at Hospice of Southern Maine’s Gosnell House since its opening.

The DaVinci Experience Art Gallery in Falmouth recently hired Ellen Sherwood, of Portland, as an assistant to the director. Sherwood received her undergraduate degree in 2010 from the University of Maine at Orono, attended the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies in 2011 where she studied documentary photography, and is currently obtaining a master’s degree at the University of Southern Maine.

New Locations and Openings

The Creative Child and Adult Arts Program, owned by Kristine
Biegel, has recently moved its studios to 152 U.S. Route 1, Suite 15 in Scarborough. Biegel has worked with artists and businesses for more than 10 years offering a wide variety of programs for artists of all ages and abilities.

Rebecca Blaesing launched a new graphic design and proofreading business in Cumberland Center. Rebecca Blaesing Design, Branding & Proofreading specializes in helping small to medium-sized businesses and organizations develop or refresh their branding materials. Previously, Blaesing worked as a designer for Hannaford’s marketing department, and also as a design consultant for Delhaize America.  

The Purple Orchid, Event Planning recently opened in Mid-Coast. The company focuses on weddings, social, corporate and nonprofit event planning throughout Maine. Kristina Slocum, owner and operator, has been in the hospitality and planning business for 15 years. Previously, she worked at the Washington, D.C., Hyatt Hotels as a catering manager and spent the last year as the sales manager for the Portland Regency Hotel and Spa. Additionally, she spent several years with the Maine-based nonprofit Pine Tree Society as the marketing and event planning associate. There she helped the society achieve fundraising and event planning goals.

Sidebar Elements

Stepping out to end hunger

Brenda Davis, left, presents a contribution on behalf of the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger to Sybil Riemensnider of the South Portland Food Pantry. Davis’s visit was part of a tour of 10 Cumberland County communities where a food pantry in each community received a contribution. Davis, one of the state’s leading end hunger advocates, walked throughout the state during November to raise awareness about the issue of hunger. Her footsteps were part of the Maine Credit Unions’ Ending Hunger Walking Tour.

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