Retiring ‘justice warrior’ honored by Bernstein Shur 

Bernstein Shur law firm has committed to a $50,000 gift to the University of Maine School of Law in honor of retiring shareholder Pat Peard.

Described by others as a “justice warrior,” Peard has been a tireless advocate for the LGBT community throughout her career. She led the more than 10-year fight to include sexual orientation as a protected category to the Maine Human Rights Act and worked on numerous campaigns to legalize same-sex marriage. She has received numerous awards, including Equality Maine’s first Lifetime Achievement Award; the Deborah Morton Award from the University of New England; L. Kinvin Wroth Award from Maine Law; the Justice Scolnik Award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine; and the Take a Stand Award from the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine.

“I’ve known Pat since the very beginning of her legal career,” said Pat Scully, Chief Executive Officer at Bernstein Shur. “In fact, I interviewed her when she was … at Maine Law and brought her on to work as a summer associate.”

“Honoring Pat’s legacy through Bernstein Shur’s commitment to support Maine Law is such a wonderful way to celebrate Pat’s extraordinary legal career and her statewide leadership on important social issues,” continued Scully. “We also support the fantastic institution that provided us such a wonderful lawyer, leader, colleague, and friend.”

Giving back

Though temperatures may be at their hottest, donations to local food pantries cool significantly over the summer months. To help, the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger provided 80,000 meals to two food pantries in each Maine county, which received contributions of $600 each. Collectively, the donation totaled more than $21,000, which will enable food pantries to purchase more than 80,000 meals. 

KeyBank Foundation has announced a grant in the amount of $25,000 to The Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges in memory of the late Sterling Kozlowski of Falmouth, KeyBank Maine’s former market president. Kozlowski was on the foundation’s board of directors and strongly supported its work on behalf of  Maine’s community college students.

Recognition

Bath Savings Institution has been named one of Maine’s Best Places to Work for the fifth year in a row. The recognition, given by the Society for Human Resource Management, recognizes companies that cultivate outstanding workplaces and benefit Maine’s economy, its workforce and businesses.

Avesta Housing recently honored four staff members who exemplified the nonprofit’s core values: Humanity, Resident Services Coordinator Nick Kjeldgaard; Stewardship, Development Officer Catherine Elliott; Relationships, Compliance and Training Manager Barbara Soloway; and Quality, office manager Kate Cordaro.

Hires, promotions, appointments

Gary A. Barron, of Windham, has been named executive director of the Maine Jewish Museum. Barron comes from Bowdoin Management in Plantation, Florida, where he was the managing director.

Jeff Eastman, media and technology librarian at Merrill Memorial Library in Yarmouth, is the new communications chairman for the Maine Library Association. For more, see https://bit.ly/2Pw3CbY.

As part of expanding services at Dempsey Center South Portland, Patti Sands, LCSW, will be providing counseling for both youth and adults starting in mid-September. Sands earned her Master of Social Work degree at Boston College Graduate School of Social Work and has a background in supporting children, adults and families with grief, bereavement, loss and trauma.

Two of the University of Southern Maine’s top administrators have new roles. Ainsley Wallace is the new president and CEO of the USM Foundation, which supports student success and community engagement. Jeanne Paquette’s role now includes the position of VP of Corporate Engagement. 

RE/MAX Shoreline welcomed Mary McAleney, an expert on Maine’s landscape, culture and neighborhoods, to its Portland office.

Verrill Dana announced that Rob Wright is the new Legal Services manager in the firm’s Portland office.

Mindy Beyer of Maine Medical Partners – MaineHealth Cardiology, has been appointed board chair of the American Heart Association. The AHA also announced that Dave Abel, president and general manager of WMTW-TV and Geoff Bruno, superintendent of Falmouth Schools, will continue to serve on the  Founders Affiliate Board, which drives public health, advocacy and fundraising goals across the six New England states, New York and New Jersey. 

Maine Academy of Modern Music announced its newest staff members: Sara Hallie Richardson (voice), Emma Page (voice, piano, guitar), Andy Porta (drums), and Chris Sweet (drums).

Deborah P. Ibonwa has joined the law firm of Petruccelli, Martin & Haddow, LLP, in Portland. Ibonwa received her Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2017.

New Ventures

Anytime Fitness is gearing up to open its newest Maine location at 700 Gallery Blvd. in Scarborough. The new location will bring a total of four Anytime Fitness gyms owned by Michael and Nicole Coppola to southern Maine. The gym offers state-of-the-art equipment, personal trainers, small group training sessions and 24/7 access.

Portside Real Estate Group announced it has added McFarlane Field Associates as part of its ongoing expansion in Southern Maine. McFarlane Field is one of the highest producing real estate teams in Maine, with more than $44 million in sales during the last 12 months.

Save the date

Maine Employee Stock Ownership Plan group is hosting a fall education and networking event Wednesday, Sept. 26 at the Augusta Civic Center, with the opportunity for Maine ESOPs and their employee-owners to learn more about both the technical and culture aspects of an ESOP. Speakers will include Mark Adams, president/CEO of Sebago Technics and Shawn Moody, gubernatorial candidate and owner of Moody’s Collision. More at www.maine-esops.org.

Join Maine Real Estate & Development Association for “Fair Winds & Following Seas: A Conversation with MDOT Commissioner David Bernhardt and Eimskip’s Larus Isfeld,” a Morning Menu Breakfast Event from 7:30-9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 7 at Holiday Inn By the Bay, 88 Spring St., Portland. Register through mereda.org.

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Fr. Thomas Murphy, pastor of All Saints Parish in Brunswick, with Grand Knight Jim Badger of Knights of Columbus Council No. 1947, which has agreed to donate $100,000 to furnish the new kitchen at the St. John the Baptist Multipurpose Facility in Brunswick.

Julie Woods and Howsie Stewart enjoy the bounty of the sea at OceanView at Falmouth’s Annual Lobster Bake on Aug. 15. Residents could also partake of other popular Maine dishes that included clam chowder, steamers, and blueberry pie.Peard