Recognition

The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine honored Portland resident and Forecaster columnist Orlando Delogu with the 25th annual Justice Louis Scolnik Award. In a distinguished career at the University of Maine School of Law spanning over 47 years, Delogu has been a passionate, reasoned, and outspoken advocate for civil liberties and the public interest, the group said in a news release. As a founding member and board president of the Maine Civil Liberties Union, Delogu oversaw critical growth during the organization’s infancy from 1967 through 1973. During his tenure, the MCLU achieved its first major victory in a case involving a Belfast High School teacher who was fired for discussing sexuality as part of a class on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The group also welcomed featured speaker Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU.

Haven’s Candies announced that its Maine sea salt butter toffee won first place in the best new product honors at the recently held 2013 New England Made Giftware and Specialty Food Show. Haven’s newest chocolate candy creation was selected from a field including nearly 250 attendees at the annual Portland-based event. Show organizers said that Haven’s sea salt butter toffee was chosen for its “highest quality of product, representing the best of New England craftsmanship.” Haven’s Candies has been in business since 1915 with retail locations in Portland, Westbrook, and Scarborough.

Good Deeds

The Maine Women’s Fund awarded grants totaling $80,000 to organizations working to build the economic security of Maine women and girls. The 2013 grantees will be recognized at the annual Leadership Luncheon on May 23 at the Holiday Inn By the Bay in Portland.

Expansions

Girls on the Run-Maine, a nonprofit organization inspiring preteen girls to be joyful, healthy and confident through running, is kicking off its first full year with eight new sites in southern Maine.

Collaborations and Mergers

Portland-area Rock Coast Personnel and KMA HR Consulting are jointly offering recruiting capability in concert with onboarding, orientation, and compliance. The partnership was inspired by an opportunity presented to Rock Coast Personnel to handle local recruitment for a large company. Both companies are continuing to operate independently, teaming up as the need arises for specific clients, most of whom will be startups or large, existing companies either relocating or expanding in Maine.

Turner Barker Insurance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gorham Savings Bank, soon will merge with Clark Insurance, according to Gorham Savings Bank President Christopher Emmons and Clark Insurance President Kenneth Ross. Turner Barker will retain its name but will operate as a Clark Insurance Agency with Douglas Allen continuing as Turner Barker’s president, Bradford Kirkpatrick as executive vice president and Kalevi Kotkas as vice president. Emmons will join the board of directors of Clark Insurance. The combined agency will employ more than 100 insurance agents and customer service people in offices throughout southern Maine and Manchester, N.H.

New Hires, Promotions and Appointments

Bath Savings Institution promoted Barbara Tuttle of Pownal to assistant vice president and manager at the Yarmouth branch. Tuttle joined the bank in 1998 was most recently an assistant branch manager in Freeport. Her new responsibilities as assistant vice president and manager include overseeing all day-to-day retail banking functions at the Yarmouth branch.

The Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership announced Steve Levesque, executive director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, has been elected to serve on its board of directors. Levesque has more than 32 years of experience in economic and community development, land use planning and business management services. Prior to his position overseeing the redevelopment of the former military base, Levesque served as executive director of the Brunswick Local Redevelopment Authority, which developed the successful reuse master plan for Brunswick Naval Air Station. This plan included the creation of the Maine Center for Innovation, a high tech business campus that will include the Maine Advanced Technology and Engineering Center and the Brunswick Renewable Energy Center.

Guy Cote was elected president and Robert McSorley was elected vice president of the Portland Water District Board of Trustees in March. David Kane was re-elected as treasurer, and Donna Katsiaficas was re-elected as clerk. Cote has been a member of the board since 2009 and has previously served as vice president. Cote is president of Sevee & Maher Engineers and represents Westbrook on the board. McSorley has been a member of the board since 2010 and has previously served on the operations committee. He is a senior project manager at Sebago Technics and represents Scarborough on the board. The Portland Water District is governed by a board of 11 trustees who are elected to represent the 10 member communities.

Kathy Duca, manager of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, of Cape Elizabeth announced announce that Polly Cockrill has joined the office located at 295 Ocean House Road as a licensed real estate agent. Cockrill has more than 15 years of real estate experience including as a license agent in New York and in the paralegal field with the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

United Way of Greater Portland announced the promotion of Carrie Zeisse to chief operating officer.

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