Hires, promotions, appointments

Harvard Pilgrim has named Bill Whitmore as vice president of the company’s Maine market. Whitmore previously served as vice president of underwriting at Anthem. He’s also an active community leader, serving on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Southern Maine, Onpoint Health Data, Maine State Chamber and the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Jon Merrill joins Evergreen Credit Union as assistant vice president, Commercial Lending. He most recently was a principal examiner with the National Credit Union Administration.

Kevin Moehlenkamp has been named the new chief executive officer and chief creative officer of Moehlenkamp marketing agency in Portland. Moehlenkamp succeeds Brenda Garrand, who founded Garrand & Co. in 1989 and is preparing for retirement. Moehlenkamp has served in creative leadership roles at Hill Holiday, McCann Erickson, BBDO and JWT. He joined Garrand as chief creative officer in 2014.

The board of directors at Old Orchard Beach-based Milestone Recovery elected four new members to its ranks, including Falmouth Police Chief John Kilbride and Bridget Rauscher, substance use prevention program coordinator for the city of Portland. Founded in 1967, Milestone is one of the oldest nonprofits working to help Mainers with substance use disorders and homelessness.

Entrepreneurs excel

A trio of local businesses was among the five selected by Gorham Savings Bank as finalists in its annual LaunchPad small business competition. From an applicant pool of over 150 businesses statewide, Casco Bay Creamery of Portland, Sidewalk Buttler of Scarborough, and Vintage Maine Kitchen of Freeport rose to the top and will move onto the next round – a live pitch competition to be held June 4 at University of Maine’s Hannaford Hall in Portland.

Hornet Water Sports and Sticky Sweet, both located in Portland, were the winners of the 2019 Top Gun regional semifinal pitch held May 10. Regional pitch events were also held in Bangor, Lewiston/Auburn, Rockland and Waterville, where scoring was based on presentation, innovation and feasibility. The top two finishers in each location were scheduled to participate in the Top Gun Showcase on May 23 at the USM and compete for one of two $25,000 cash prizes.

Hitting the Jackpot

Broadway Variety in South Portland was one of a trio of stores recognized by Maine State Lottery for having ticket sales of more than $1 million in 2018 and honored for being the top three agencies for lottery sales in the state. The Biddeford Hannaford and Lisbon Street News in Lewiston were honored with a plaque as well.

Giving Back

U.S. Cellular has made a $25,000 donation for a fifth consecutive year to Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine in Portland to provide K-12 STEM educational opportunities to youth. The donation is part of $1 million that was given to clubs across the country and $40,500 in Maine. 

For the company’s Month of Giving during National Volunteer Month in April,  associates teamed up with the local Boys & Girls Clubs at Riverton Park Clubhouse to clean and prepare community gardens for planting. 

Town & Country Federal Credit Union contributed $2,800, to Southern Maine Agency on Aging, representing the approximately 2,800 Meals on Wheels recipients the program serves in Cumberland and York counties. The donation coincided with National Older Americans Month in May.

Granted

Maine Community Foundation has awarded grants totaling $26,000 to support hospice service programs in York and Cumberland counties. Chaplaincy Institute of Maine will use the funding for curriculum and training for grief, end of life and bereavement services, including internships and public workshops. The Center for Grieving Children plans to increase volunteer facilitators needed to meet current demand and future projections.

WhitmoreAnthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield associates in Maine recently teamed up with the nonprofit Blessings in a Backpack to load 500 backpacks with nonperishable food and donate them to the YMCA of Southern Maine to help families in need and address food insecurity in the Portland area.MerrillRauscher For the ninth year, U.S. Cellular associates last month teamed up with kids and staff from the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maine to prepare community gardens at the Riverton Clubhouse in Portland for spring planting.