NEW FACES

• Mark Fochesato joined MaineToday Media Inc. as an online production specialist at the Morning Sentinel.

Fochesato, of Winthrop, has several years of experience in online and media advertising and sales. He held numerous account executive roles at the New Haven Register, The Bargain News/bargainnews.com, Realtor.com, Autotrader.com and the Hartford Courant.

REHIRES

• Two former Vreeland Marketing & Design staffers have rejoined the agency in new roles.

Jessica Wallace of Freeport is the new digital marketing director and is responsible for digital marketing strategy with a focus on online advertising, social media and SEO.

Wallace most recently worked at Hall Internet Marketing in Portland as a digital marketing analyst. Before that, she was web and social media manager at Vreeland.

Jessica Cote of Auburn joined the firm as a marketing director. Cote recently served as an account executive at Rinck Advertising in Auburn. Prior to that, she was Web marketing manager at Vreeland.

PROMOTIONS

• The First N.A. and its parent company, The First Bancorp, promoted three people on its staff.

Karen LaCharite of Edgecomb was promoted to assistant vice president, senior credit analyst. She works in the bank’s credit department in Damariscotta.

Matt Mattson of Blue Hill was promoted to assistant vice president, senior business relationship officer at the Blue Hill branch.

Marlene Parks was promoted to assistant vice president, branch manager. She has been with the bank for 42 years and manages the Calais branch.

AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS

• Bo “Stephen” Miller achieved the prestigious distinction of Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

Miller, of Scarborough, has been a physician assistant for more than 38 years. He works for Bayside Employee Health Center in Portland.

• Attorney Jack Simmons of Berman & Simmon in Lewiston received the Justice Louis Scolnik Award last week from the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine.

Simmons, of Falmouth, joined Benjamin Berman’s law firm in Lewiston in 1964 and built a thriving practice in both criminal and civil law. The firm, which is now Berman & Simmons, has become a leader in the areas of personal injury, medical malpractice, products liability and other plaintiffs’ cases. Simmons remains of counsel with Berman & Simmons, but is no longer actively trying cases.

BOARD APPOINTMENTS

• Randall Smith, a senior partner in the firm of Smith & Elliott PA in Saco, was elected president of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association.

Smith, of Saco, has practiced with the firm since 1971. He was selected for membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He also received a Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent rating, the highest peer review rating attainable for legal ability and ethical standards. He is listed as a New England Super Lawyer and Best Lawyers in America for Medical Malpractice.

• Brett Seekins, senior manager in the Baker Newman Noyes Healthcare Management Consulting Practice, was recently elected chairman of the Cape Elizabeth Town Council Senior Citizens Advisory Committee.

Seekins is the director of long-term care and senior living practice at Baker Newman Noyes.

MERGERS

• St.Germain Collins has acquired Black Point Environmental LLC.

This merger will expand its environmental and engineering team, allowing the firm to offer a larger array of consulting services to a more diverse client base.

Donald McFadden, president of Black Point Environmental, will join the St.Germain Collins team as senior project manager. He will continue to serve his existing clients and provide expanded services to other clients.

RETIRING

• Hugh Keene, a dedicated board member of the Community Credit Union since 1947, has retired.

He oversaw his last annual meeting and board meeting for the credit union on April 15. Keene became chair of the board in 1994 when the Municipal Employees of Auburn Federal Credit Union merged with Community Credit Union. He remained on the board and over the next 20 years led credit union through a changing economic landscape, building a new branch and preserving the high standards of member service.

GENERAL

• KMA Human Resources Consulting and Borislow Insurance announced a partnership for human resource consulting services to BI clients seeking assistance with their employee relation issues, benefit planning, recruiting and talent retention efforts, and compliance with state and federal employment laws.

Through KMA, BI will offer several packages of human resource services and/or hourly consulting services to clients based on their specific needs.