Unum, Garrand named Best
Places to Work in Maine

AUGUSTA — The top companies in the 2009 “Best Places to Work in Maine” survey were recently announced at the fourth annual Society for Human Resource Management’s Maine State Council’s awards and recognition dinner.

In the large company category for businesses with more than 250 employees, Portland-based Unum earned the highest ranking, with Camden National Corporation of Camden and Tyler Technologies of Falmouth ranking second and third, respectively.

Garrand, a marketing and communications firm based in Portland, earned the number one ranking for small/medium businesses.  Consigli Construction Co. earned second place, and Burgess Advertising and Marketing took third. Each of the top three best companies in the small/medium category, which includes businesses with 15 to 249 employees, are all headquartered in Portland.

The Best Companies Group administers the evaluation process by examining company employee policies and procedures and surveys completed by employees. This year, 31 companies met the criteria established by the BCG to be named a Best Place to Work in Maine. For the complete list of the 2009 Best Places to Work in Maine, please visit www.bestplacestoworkinme.com.

Nonesuch Books holds
benefit book drive

SOUTH PORTLAND — Nonesuch Books & Cards is holding its ninth annual Children’s Hospital New Book Drive during the month of October at its Mill Creek and Saco Valley Shopping Center stores.

All donations stay within the greater Portland community in an effort to provide reading materials to local children that are hospitalized. The book drive supports Maine Medical Center, Southern Maine Medical, Center Mercy Hospital and Maine Children’s Cancer Center.

Contributions can be made in a number of different ways, including donating cash at the checkout, buying a new book on behalf of the hospital, donating your Nonesuch used book credit slip. Free bookplates are available at the store to use for donated new books. Other items the bookstore is collecting are new journals, wooden puzzles, coloring books and games.

For more information, contact Jon Platt 883-1281 or jplatt@nonesuchbooks.com.

Giroux Oil celebrates
50 years in business

PORTLAND — Giroux Oil Service Company held a celebration with family, friends and clients at its Warren Avenue office to celebrate 50 years of the business owned and operated by the Giroux family.

Founded in 1959 by Wilfred Giroux, the company started with just two trucks, and has grown over three generations.

The company marked its 50-year anniversary with a new company name, Giroux Energy Solutions, to highlight their new focus on alternative technologies and fuel sources. Giroux will still provide tradition heating oil and K1, but will also offer BioHeat, propane or solar energy solutions.

New Ventures

VSA arts of Maine, a non-profit organization that provides arts, educational and cultural opportunities to children and adults with disabilities, has recently opened its new gallery and office space at the Eleven Pleasant Street Center in Brunswick. The new space will serve to display and market work by Maine artists with disabilities and as the site for apprenticeships where artists can learn the business aspects of the operation.

MaineHealth, an integrated healthcare delivery network, purchased an 80,000 square-foot office building at 110 Free St. in Portland for $3.5 million. Working with listing broker CB Ellis/The Boulos Company and the City of Portland, MaineHealth was able to acquire the building and a property swap agreement with the new owners of the nearby business, Holiday Inn by the Bay. The two companies agreed to exchange parking accommodations to allow for increased accessibility for the benefit of its customers. Renovations will begin this winter, with an expected occupancy in late 2010 or early 2011.

Healthy Body, Fit Mind, Chiropractic Healing Arts Center and yoga instructor/ wellness consultant Colleen Myers have collaborated to launch Our Wellness Room. The room is located on the second floor of the 85 E Street building that houses Healthy Body, Fit Mind and the Chiropractic Healing Arts Center on the first floor. The wellness services offered will focus on bone and joint health, including free workshops, gentle yoga classes and natural healing alternatives. 

Three Reiki Masters have opened a new healing center, Reiki & Reconnective Healing, at 8 Lincoln St. in Brunswick. The center is co-led by Martha Spruce, a Reiki teacher and practitioner for 15 years; Pat Hart, Reiki Master teacher and arts educator who practices traditional Usui Reiki and healing through the arts; and Reiki Master teacher Sandra Carslick, who specializes in reconnective healing. 

Sara Littlefield, DC, has opened Back On Track Chiropractic on Western Ave. in South Portland and specializes in family and wellness care. She was previously employed at Mall Road Chiropractic and Bay Wellness Family Chiropractic. 

Home and small business security company, Nightwatch Protection, has opened for business at 15 Holly Street, Suite 208, Pine Point Business Park in Scarborough. The business, owned by Kevin Gilligan, is an authorized ADT dealer. 

Portmanteau, an artisan shop that makes fine clothing and accessories, recently celebrated 30 years in business in downtown Portland. The Old Port store is now located at 11 Free St. and now offers its latest collections online at www.portmanteauonline.com.  

New Hires, Promotions

Tilson Technology Management founder, Mike Dow, has taken a position as the IT director with TWI managing the implementation and development of its Expeditionary Procurement Software System in Zug, Switzerland.

Ferry Beach Ecology School has hired Maureen Duggan of Portland as its associate director overseeing all communications, promotions and fund-raising efforts. 

Timothy Nichols of Harpswell has joined Soft Trac, LLC, a Falmouth-based nonprofit technology consulting firm, as a specialist in nonprofit accounting.

Certified Public Accounting firm, Macdonald Page & Co LLC, has promoted the following employees: Erik Nadeau of Winslow, senior manager; Kyle Eddy of Alna and Ryan Grund of Portland, manager; Nancy Chase of Topsham, Adam Hobson of Saco and Scott Wellman of Lewiston, supervisor; Ross Burgess of Freeport, Darcy Dow of Winslow, Hadje Esmiller of South Portland, Kristina Podoski of Westbrook, and Michelle Small of Westbrook, senior accountant; Charlotte Thurlow of Vassalboro, staff accountant. 

Ralph L. Harding of Freeport was hired as director of private equity at Spinnaker Trust, a Portland-based wealth management firm specializing in investment management and trust services.

Harding
Littlefield
Nichols
Spruce, Hart, Carslick

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Pictured above, from left, South Portland Fire Chief Kevin Guimond and Steve Doyle, captain of Willard Hose Company, accept a donation of a thermal imaging camera from Richard Small. Small donated the camera to the South Portland Fire Department in memory of his father-in-law Steven T. Mank.

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