NEW HIRES

• Christopher Jones was hired as chief operating officer for Hospitality Association Management Services, a new company jointly owned by the Maine Restaurant Association and Maine Innkeepers Association.

Jones comes to the company with extensive experience in the restaurant industry. Most recently, he was principal at Blue Creek Consulting in Albany, N.Y.

• Patricia French joined Bernstein Shur’s Energy and Environmental Law Practice Group as a shareholder.

French has more than 20 years of experience in energy law. She comes to Bernstein Shur from NiSource, an energy provider based in Houston.

• Carly Crouse and Jordan Rowe were hired at Kemp Goldberg Partners, an advertising, public relations and interactive agency.

Crouse joined the firm as an account executive. She comes from Garrand, where she was responsible for integrating traditional public relations tactics with new media to organize communications strategies, events and viral campaigns.

Rowe comes to the firm from Crescendo Consulting group in Portland and will serve as assistant account executive. Currently, Rowe is the news release chair for the Maine Public Relations Council.

AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS

• Five lawyers from the firm of Skelton, Taintor & Abbott were named to the New England Super Lawyers 2014 list:

Jill Checkoway, estate planning and probate; Bryan Dench, business/corporate; Alan Stone, energy and natural resources; Stephen Wade, personal injury plaintiff: general; and Rebecca Webber, employment and labor. Marc Frenette, insurance coverage, was recognized as a rising stars honoree.

• Skelton, Taintor & Abbott shareholder Ronald Lebel was recognized on the 2014 Best Lawyers in America list as “Lawyer of the Year” for Maine in the practice of family law.

Lebel is the only Maine lawyer to receive that distinction. He has also made the list 13 times. He has received the prestigious AV-rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He also participates in mediation as an attorney and has served as a mediator.

• Nelson Megna, a retired educator from Portland, was recognized with the prestigious AARP Maine’s 2013 Andrus Award.

Megna spent his career focused on education. He served as secretary/treasurer of the Maine Higher Education Council, and chair of the Committee on Vocational Education for the Maine School Superintendent’s Association. He served three terms as chair of the Board of Overseers at St. Joseph’s College in Windham.

• Courtney Breslin, an academic adviser in the University of Southern Maine’s Student Success Center in Gorham, was recognized with the Emerging Professional Staff Award.

Breslin, of Chebeague Island, has served in her current capacity at USM since 2012. She was previously a graduate assistant in USM’s Student Success Center and a Life Skills Tutor in its Office of Students with Disabilities. She is a “resident expert” on autism spectrum issues and strategies to employ with high-risk students. She is also the primary adviser for USM’s College Transition High School Outreach program.

• James Wakefield, a heating and air conditioning technician at the University of Southern Maine, was recognized with the Emerging Classified Staff Award.

Wakefield, of West Newfield, has worked for USM’s Facilities Management since 2009. He holds a Maine Journeyman’s 1 and 2 license, a 608 Universal Refrigeration Certification, and a 410A certification. He is also certified as an electrician helper and high-pressure boiler operator.

• The National Housing & Rehabilitation Association named Elm Terrace in Portland as “Winner – Best Historic Rehabilitation Project Involving New Construction” of its 2013 J. Timothy Anderson Award for Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation.

BOARD APPOINTMENTS

• Alison Schmidt, Jean Whitney, Michael Royer, Tracy Rogers and Jim Baron joined the board of directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine.

Schmidt is vice president of business development at PowerPay. Whitney is vice president, training at TD Bank. Royer is an accountant and partner with Berry Talbot & Royer. Rogers is a financial planner at IMCG. Baron is a senior IT manager for Idexx.

Phil Gagnon, of Key Bank, joined the board earlier this fall. Kristy Abraham, an attorney with Preti Flaherty, was elected board president. Ellen Niewoehner, of TD Commercial Lending, was named treasurer. Chuck Piacentini and Matthew Chin will serve as vice presidents. Piacentini is with Unum and Chin is chief operating officer of Goodwill.

GENERAL

• Barry Harder and Holly Harrison, both of Scarborough and sales agents at The Maine Real Estate Network in South Portland, recently launched www.MaineLiving.com. MaineLiving.com is designed to be the premiere destination for searching all real estate “for sale” in Maine.