Good Deeds

Maine’s credit unions have spent the last 22 years raising money to end hunger in Maine. In 2011, Maine’s credit unions raised $446,929.56, an increase of nearly $45,000 over last year’s record. In addition to setting a new record for funds raised, this year the campaign surpassed the $4 million milestone in funds raised.

Maine College of Art recently awarded more than $7,000 in grants to alumni to support their work in the field of crafts. Each year, MECA awards professional development grants of up to $1,500 to alumni who graduated within the past 10 years. Local recipients include: Alex Asplund, Portland; Erika Naigle, Portland; Daria Norvlaan, Damariscotta; and Molly Vogel, Portland.

The Nellie Mae Education Foundation recently awarded a three-year, $5 million grant to support a partnership between Portland Public schools and several community-based organizations to design student-centered pathway systems that will better meet the needs of all students in Portland’s public high schools. All four—Deering, Portland, Casco Bay and Portland Arts and Technology High School—will participate in this multi-year initiative. Key partners will include Jobs for Maine’s Graduates, Learningworks Inc. and the City of Portland’s Refugee Services Program.

Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution continued its tradition of giving in 2011, donating more than $337,000 to local non-profit organizations ranging from food pantries to youth programs.

The People’s United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, recently awarded $3,000 to The Center for Grieving Children. The donations will support the Center’s peer support program and help secure clinical consultants and interpreters. The money will also help build community collaborations that will promote culturally relevant programming and increase volunteer support and training.

New Hires

Andrew Jones recently joined OceanView at Falmouth as a marketing assistant. He previously worked at All About Prevention as a health outreach specialist and comes to this position with a 10-year background in social service and public health.

The Landing School recently hired Clint Chase as a wooden boat building instructor. With more than six years of boat building and instruction experience, Chase will be responsible for instructing The Landing School’s spring start students in small boat building.

Coffee By Design recently hired Kevin Gaspardi as general manager to oversee all of the operations of its four retail stores and the coffee roastery. In this new role he will update and develop new systems, create plans for employee development and build a “coffee specialist” program at all of the retail stores.

Andy Bean recently joined Winxnet, a Portland-based IT solutions provider, as a technical support specialist. With a degree in Network Administration from Macintosh College, Bean brings more than four years of technical support experience.

Lisa Hallee was recently named marketing and communications officer at Mechanics Savings Bank. She is responsible for directing and executing the bank’s marketing and advertising strategies for print, broadcast and digital media.

Tom Cattell was recently hired as director of wealth management at Black Point Capital Management. With 30 years of experience in trust departments and investment management, Cattell served most recently as CEO at HeadInvest.

Christina Stuntz recently joined Mid Coast Hospital as its health science librarian. She is a graduate of Middlebury College in Vermont, where she majored in environmental studies and sociology. A medical research librarian, she received her masters in library science and information technology from Simmons College in Boston, Mass. She previously worked at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Mass. and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Mass.

Designations

Benchmark Residential & Investment Real Estate recently recognized broker and owner Tom Landry for being Portland’s number one listing and selling Realtor for the last two years. According to the Maine Real Estate Information System and private sale data, Landry sold the most and highest priced residential real estate in Portland in 2010 and 2011.

Anniversaries

Broadreach Public Relations recently celebrated five years of helping clients tell their stories and build relationships. Founded by veteran banker and public relations specialist, Linda Varrell, Broadreach is an award-winning communications firm, serving clients in northern New England across a variety of industries.

Appointments

The First Radio Parish Church of America, “Daily Devotions” recently announced some changes to its Board of Trustees. Chief Master Sgt. Harry Marsters has replaced Sharon Reilly as the vice president of the trustees. Additionally, Kimberly Cressey has replaced Marie MacDonald as the secretary to the Board.

Kenneth A Ross, president of Clark Insurance, has been elected to serve a three-year term on the board of directors of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland. Ross previously served on the board in the 1980s.

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Portland Harbor Hotel’s popular Ice Bar raised $15,000 over the course of three days. Money raised by the annual event was shared with Gary’s House, Ronald McDonald House and Share Our Strength Southern Maine.

On hand to receive the donation were Debra Lavoie, executive director of Gary’s House, Whitney Bruce, board member of Share our Strength and Robin Chibroski, executive director of Ronald McDonald House.

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