Hires, promotions, appointments

Several key leadership changes have occurred at Freeport Economic Development Corp. Longtime members Adam Nappi, owner of Bow Street Market, and Wendy Caisse of Bucks Naked BBQ have resigned after serving in leadership capacities. New board members include Caleb Stephens with the local EdwardJones office; Leanne Barschdorf-Nichols, longtime Freeport resident and Realtor with Keller Williams; and former Town Council chairman James Hendricks, a local chiropractor. New officers were also elected: retiree Mary Davis, who worked in executive-level positions with IDEXX, is the new president and Dan Bacon, a land-use planning consultant with Gorrill-Palmer Consultants, was elected vice president.

Dr. Dora Anne Mills, who for 15 years served as Maine’s State Health Officer and director of the Maine CDC, will join MaineHealth in November as senior vice president, community health. She replaces Deborah Deatrick, leader of MaineHealth’s community health efforts for the past 20 years, who plans to retire in January.

The Bowdoin International Music Festival announced the appointment of Casey Oakes as director of Development & Communications. Oakes has been with the Festival for the past three years, most recently in the role of director of Marketing & Communications.

Catherine C. Miller, Esq. will helm the board of directors at Portland-based Kids First Center. Miller, who is the founder and managing partner of Miller Law & Mediation, LLC, lives in Cape Elizabeth.  

Sebago Technics engineering consulting firm has hired Andrew Strout as a project surveyor, Bryan Walsh as a new civil engineer, and landscape designer Henry Hess.

Bath Savings Institution announced the hiring of a new commercial lender, Colette Twigg-Rowse, who will be based in the Falmouth office

Recognition

LearningWorks Executive Director Heather Davis received a Visionary Leader Award at the inaugural Metamorphosis event created by local philanthropist and nonprofit director Charlie Miller, of The Children’s Initiative, and Mary Allen Lindemann, co-owner of Coffee By Design. Davis received the award along with three other local nonprofit leaders: Blainor McGough of Mayo Street Arts, Jeff Shaw of the Maine Academy of Modern Music, and Barrett Takesian of Portland Community Squash. Miller said, “Metamorphosis recognizes heroes in our community who have put service before personal gain, who have exhibited courage in the face of long odds, and who have a proven track record of sustained, philanthropic success” in initiating and sustaining innovative programs to serve Portland youth at risk.

Retired Maine educator Wendy Ulmer has released her second middle-grade novel, “The Dragons.” Ulmer has published seven children’s books, two of which focus on life in Maine. She was an educator in Regional School Unit 1 for many years and continues to help in local classrooms as a volunteer, teaching writing and poetry.

Portland’s Fyood Kitchen is a winner of the national SCORE Awards, which honor the achievements of outstanding U.S. entrepreneurs and small business owners – including Maddie Purcell – who have demonstrated unique vision, innovation and achievement.

McTeague Higbee law firm, with offices in Topsham, announced that partner Karen Bilodeau and managing partner Kevin Noonan have been named to the Best Lawyers in America Roster for 2019 in the field of workers’ compensation.

More than 900 greater Portland residents joined the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sept. 22, raising more than $187,922 to fund Alzheimer’s care, support and research programs. 

Couleur Collection in Falmouth was recognized by The State Workforce Board’s Older Worker Committee as one of the four best employers for workers over the age of 50 in Maine for 2018. 

New ventures

Hearst has completed its acquisition of WPXT-TV from Ironwood Communications LLC, following regulatory approval. The CW-affiliated TV station serves the Portland and Auburn market. Hearst subsidiary, Hearst Television Inc., owns the market’s ABC affiliate, WMTW-TV.

BilodeauThe Norton/HUB International New England, LLC, team enjoys Mid Coast Hospital’s 25th Annual Golf Fore! Health Classic, at which just shy of $50,000 was raised Sept. 12.Oakes

Miller