PICTURED, FROM LEFT, are Rick Licht, Dana Totman, Jessica Estes, MEREDA Business and Operations Manager Shelly Clark, MEREDA President Drew Sigfridson and Paul Peck.
The conference was held Jan. 24 in Portland in front of a nearly 650 attendees.
“These awards are a way for us to say thank you to some of the many people who have kept this organization so strong and vital. Each of these recipients has made significant contributions to responsible real estate development in the state of Maine, and MEREDA is proud to recognize them with these awards,” said Sigfridson.
The awards and 2013 recipients were as follows:
— The Robert B. Patterson Jr. Founders’ Award, which recognizes a member who has contributed to the industry or to MEREDA on a significant level over many years, was presented to Dana Totman of Brunswick. Totman’s career has focused on nonprofit and government management and leadership, specializing in leading organizations through significant change. He has served as president and CEO of Avesta Housing since 2000. Since joining Avesta Housing, Dana has increased the agency’s portfolio from 800 apartments to 1,900 apartments, including 278 new units completed or under construction in the past year valued at more than $61 million. He also led the creation of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition and Avesta’s Home Ownership Center. A longtime supporter of MEREDA, Totman is a MEREDA board member and participates on its Legislative Affairs Committee.
— MEREDA’s success is largely based on the support and commitment from its volunteer members, which is why each year MEREDA presents its Volunteer of the Year Award to an individual who willingly and enthusiastically volunteers significant time and energy on MEREDA’s behalf. This year’s award was presented to Jessica Estes of Yarmouth.
Estes is general manager and partner at CBRE/The Boulos Company, where she oversees the day-to-day operations of the brokerage company. Since 2003, Estes has held various roles in brokerage, marketing and management, and she is an active participant on MEREDA’s Membership & Marketing Committee and the MEREDA Index Sub-Committee.
— The Public Policy Award is presented to an individual member whose efforts have had a significant impact on public policy decisions for the benefit of responsible real estate development in Maine. This year’s award was presented to Rick Licht of Gray.
Licht has devoted many hours as a volunteer on MEREDA’s Legislative Affairs Committee, as well as on various groups dealing with stormwater and site law legislation on MEREDA’s behalf.
Licht is principal of Licht Environmental Design, which he started in 2010.
— The Presidents’ Award is a discretionary award given by MEREDA’s current president in recognition of someone who has significantly stepped up to the plate on MEREDA’s behalf. This year, the award was presented to Paul Peck of North Yarmouth.
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