People and Business

Hires, Promotions, Appointments

The Westin Portland Harborview Hotel, next to Portland’s Congress Square Park, has hired Brian Andersen as executive chef. Most recently, Andersen was executive chef at the four-star W Hotel in Boston, and also has served as chef de cuisine at the Westin Boston Waterfront. He is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University’s College of Culinary Arts.

The Council on International Educational Exchange, headquartered in Portland, on Sept. 15 named Maritheresa Frain as executive vice president of study abroad, overseeing CIEE’s global network of study centers and academic programs. She brings more than 20 years of experience in international education to the position, including more than 15 years with CIEE. Previously, she served with the U.S. Department of State and the International Monetary Fund, and was a visiting professor at Georgetown University. She holds a doctorate and master’s degree in government and international relations from Georgetown, and a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University.

Russ Donahue, of Freeport, has been named marketing director and communications officer of Kennebec Savings Bank. Donahue served since since 2001 as marketing director for St. Mary’s Health System in Lewiston, and previously was senior counsel for HDS Consulting, based in Freeport. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the State University of New York at Geneseo and a master’s degree in health care administration from New England College.

Elder Planning Advisors of Maine, of South Portland, recently hired Laurene Ryan as operations manager, overseeing the firm’s accounting, information systems and regulatory compliance. Ryan previously served as office manager at Casco Bay Engineering in Portland.

Milestone Foundation, a Portland nonprofit agency serving individuals with substance abuse problems, has hired Manuela Arundel as director of development. She brings to the role over 10 years of experience in social services, most recently at CASPAR, a nonprofit group in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She also served as director of development for the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals. Arundel holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Southern Maine and a master’s degree in creative writing from Louisiana State University.

Gregory M. Leighton, of Cumberland, was recently elected treasurer of the New England Water Works Association, the region’s largest and oldest nonprofit organization of water-works professionals. He previously served as assistant treasurer. Leighton is controller for The Maine Water Co., where he has worked for 20 years. He is also finance manager for several Maine water districts. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern Maine.

Recognition

Dr. Hector M. Tarraza, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Maine Medical Center in Portland, was scheduled to be honored for his work by The March of Dimes Maine Chapter at its Greater Portland Signature Chefs Auction on Thursday, Oct. 1. Tarraza, whose clinical interests include gynecologic oncology and global health, is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School. He completed his medical training at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. The auction and gala were scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at DiMillo’s on the Water, 25 Long Wharf, Portland.

Two Portland companies, Flowfold and MaineWorks, were recently named among only 10 winners of the 2015 SCORE Foundation Awards, which recognize small businesses across the country that have “made the world a better place,” according to a press release. Flowfold, a manufacturer of innovative wallets, received the Outstanding American Manufacturer Small Business Award. MaineWorks, which provides temporary staffing for the construction industry, won the Outstanding Job-Creator Award. The two were nominated by the Portland chapter of SCORE, a nonprofit, volunteer-driven group that provides mentoring and other help to aspiring entrepreneurs. The awards were presented during a Sept. 17 gala at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C.

AndersenFrainDonahueArundel