MEMBER HAPPENINGS

Maine Medical Center Announces Fundamentals for Worksite Wellness Webinar Certificate Course
Take part in this professional training series designed to teach best practic models, strategies and guidelines for succesful wellness programs at your workplace. Learn more.

Town of Falmouth Community Resource Meeting January 19: Raising $10,000 for the 2012 Fuel Fund
The Falmouth Town Council voted to approve an order that will authorize a supplemental appropriation in the amount of $10,000 for the 2012 Fuel Fund. The goal is to raise $10,000 in private funding, combined with the Town contribution for a total of $20,000.

On Thursday, January 19, at 3:00 PM there will be an informal community meeting held at the Falmouth Town Hall with representatives from Opportunity Alliance (Formally PROP-Peoples Regional Opportunity Program) LIHEAP and General Assistance. The purpose of this meeting is to share resources, network and answer questions.

Saint Joseph's College of Maine Presents "Changing language: Change we can believe in?" January 24
Part 1 of our Centennial Faculty Lecture Series
7 p.m., Viola George Auditorium - Alfond Hall
30 min., 30 min. Q&A

The way we use language ignites strong passions, especially when we deviate from traditional "rules."  Yet language keeps changing as long as we speak it. Should we embrace change or hold the line? Or try for somewhere in the middle?

Dr. Edward Rielly is a professor of English at the college and member of the department for 35 years, author/editor of 22 books and editor of the annual poetry publication e.g.

Learn more.

The Opportunity Alliance Presents "Farmers' Markets: Adding Value to Your Community" January 26
Farmers' markets provide many services to our communities beyond the provision of local food such as: *Attracting customers who will shop at other local businesses * Educating the populace about the importance of healthy eating and farmland preservation *Serving as new businesses incubators *Providing an opportunity for people to invest in their own communities The full benefit of a market, however, is best developed, not by the market alone, but through partnerships within communities. Join Maine Farmland Trust, The Opportunity Alliance, farmers, and community groups from across the state for a discussion of how local organizations and farmers' markets can partner to better serve our communities.

For more information click here. Registration is $15.

Legacy Publishing Company Announces Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Customer Engagement Center in Westbrook on January 31
For the second year in a row, Forbes Magazine placed Maine at the bottom of its "Best States for Business" ranking-with "job creation" listed as one of the state's key problem areas. While recent news about Maine's business climate hasn't been positive, Legacy Publishing Company in Westbrook is working to turn that around. The company will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new 125-seat Customer Engagement Center on January 31, 2012. The 10,000 square foot, State-of-the-Art office is located a few minutes from their Westbrook Headquarters.

Governor Paul LePage's office has confirmed his attendance at this event. Governor LePage is slated to give a short speech to mark the occasion.

"We feel very confident that Westbrook and the surrounding Maine communities will continue to provide the the talented hardworking employees that propel our business" says company founder and CEO Steve Anderson. "We're committed to making this the best place to work in Maine by living our values: ‘Love What You Do, Improve Lives, Achieve Great Results,' and as a company, we do that every day."

Along with the expansion, Legacy implemented a brand-new technology platform creating a company-wide infrastructure that will ensure business continuity in times of disaster, and is one of the first companies in Maine to leverage the latest telephony and data backbone technology that our state has to offer.

According to Mike Wilson, Vice President of Operations for the Company, "We're excited to celebrate the opening of this additional new facility on January 31. We want people to know that we're growing and flourishing in a tough economy, while at the same time, providing the necessary resources and information to families across the country to help them bring a healthy dynamic back into their homes."

Portland SCORE February 2 - Workshop: Facebook 101 - 9:00-11:30 a.m., SCORE offices.
Do you want learn how to create a business Facebook page?  This workshop is for you.  Learn the nuts and bolts of Facebook, including definitions, and wall editing.  We will cover how to create events, sharing content, uploading images, authorize an administrator, LIKES and data insights. Cost of workshop is $35.00.  This workshop is limited to 15 participants. To learn more and register visit SCORE's website at SCORE Portland, or telephone 772-1147 weekdays between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and noon.

MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Bath Savings Employee Named Volunteer of the Year
Jean Libby of Bath Savings Institution has been named Volunteer of the Year by the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce. Libby is an active member of the Chamber, serving on the Boast n Toast committee and the committee responsible for the Spirit of Excellence Program. She is quick to volunteer her time, equipment and banking expertise to support Chamber events such as the Yarmouth Clam Festival or assist other non-profit organizations in the area.

"She is a valuable asset to the Chamber in so many ways," stated Carolyn Schuster, Executive Director at the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce. "I hope she knows how grateful we are for all she does to support the Chamber."

Bath Savings Institution applauds Jean Libby for her commitment to the community and for demonstrating the spirit behind BSI's Neighbor to Neighbor philosophy.

Bernstein Shur Boosts Pro Bono Hours in 2011 Multi-Service Law Firm Continues Commitment for 2012
Bernstein Shur, one of northern New England's largest law firms, announced that in 2011 it contributed more than 2,400 hours of pro bono legal services, valued at more than $600,000. This figure represents a significant 33 percent increase in pro bono hours from 2010.

Attorney Jim Keenan, a member of the firm's board of directors and chair of its Pro Bono Committee explains, "Providing pro bono legal services is an obligation we take seriously-it is one of our core values. And we are seeing more organizations in need. This is time and expertise provided directly to our communities - the figures do not even include the ongoing efforts of many of our attorneys who take on civic leadership and volunteer roles."

Many of the firm's attorneys mentor and provide legal advice to non-profit organizations and volunteer for community service projects in Maine, New Hampshire and beyond.

Jack Montgomery, an attorney in Bernstein Shur's Energy and Environmental Practice Group, is a tireless advocate for asylum cases, working with the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, Maine's only non-profit provider of free or low-fee immigration-related legal services. In 2011, Montgomery logged 300 hours on pro bono cases, won asylum for two individuals and has two complicated asylum cases pending, one involving a Djiboutian family. Montgomery received the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project's Pro Bono Panel Attorney of the Year award in 2011.

Lori Londis Dwyer, an attorney in the firm's Labor and Employment Practice Group, serves as president of the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project's board of directors and is involved in fundraising efforts for group. In 2011, she successfully worked on asylum cases for families from Burundi.

Linda McGill, who also works in the firm's Labor and Employment Practice Group continues to volunteer with the International Senior Lawyer's Project. McGill helps fulfill the group's mission of providing world-class legal counsel to promote the rule of law, human rights, and equitable economic development. She was recently honored as an ISLP "Volunteer of the Decade."

"It amazes me that so many of our attorneys find a way to dedicate significant time and energy serving those in need. It's inspiring," reflected Charlie Miller, Bernstein Shur's CEO. "We take pride in our longstanding reputation for providing leadership in the community through our volunteer work and pro bono legal services. It is a commitment we intend to continue in 2012 and beyond."

As part of its ongoing commitment, Bernstein Shur annually recognizes two attorneys for their pro bono and volunteer work. In 2011, Linda McGill received the Sumner T. Bernstein Pro Bono Service Award and Roy W. Tilsley, Jr. received the Barnett I. Shur Community Service Award for his work with New Horizons for New Hampshire.

Bernstein Shur includes summer associates in its pro bono initiative by offering the opportunity to do a rotation at a non-profit legal service agency. In 2011 participating summer associates spent four weeks working in-house at Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project in Portland.

Bisson Transportation Announces the Expansion of its Courier Service
To Our Greater Portland Community Chamber Friends:

Many of you know that Bisson has, for some time, operated the second largest document retention and management company in Maine. Bisson Document Security scans, organizes, stores and retrieves files for some of Maine’s largest legal, accounting, insurance and health care concerns, along with many other smaller companies, allowing them greater  efficiency, better use of space, lower cost and greater convenience.

What you may not have known is that, in conjunction with the BDS Division, we have also been operating our own courier service to transport files to and from our BDS clients. The service consists of 3 vans that make daily runs in the greater Portland and Brunswick areas. We price our services aggressively and pride ourselves in delivering “Service you can Trust from People who Care.” From beginning to end, we are HIPAA compliant for those who must comply with HIPAA’s confidentiality standards.

So, if you are occasionally, or regularly, in need of a courier, why not give us a call for a quote. Please either phone either John or Dana at 207-591-1010.

Camden National Bank Named FAME's Financial Institution of the Year
Camden National Bank was named the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME)'s "Financial Institution of the Year" at its annual Showcase Maine meeting and awards event in November.

"FAME is pleased to recognize Camden National Bank for its 2011 Financial Institution of the Year Award. We chose Camden National in part due to its continuing usage of FAME products and in part due to its commitment to the community," said Beth Bordowitz, FAME's chief executive officer. "Over the past year, the bank has partnered with FAME on 56 loans totaling over $16 million. This in turn helped to create 87 Maine jobs and retain an additional 561 jobs. Additionally, Camden National is an active contributor to FAME's Lender Advisory Council. This has provided several excellent suggestions to help FAME help its lending partners better serve their customers."

Loans made in conjunction with FAME are one aspect of Camden National Bank's commitment to Maine businesses, led by Executive Vice President Timothy P. Nightingale, commercial lenders and the loan processing team, all based in Maine. This effort aligns with the organizational view of supporting local businesses and communities through local decision making.

"All of us at Camden National Bank are honored to be named the 2011 Financial Institution of the Year by FAME," said Gregory A. Dufour, president and chief executive officer of Camden National Bank. "We are fortunate to have a great organization such as FAME to help support Maine businesses. Beth and her team work collaboratively with borrowers and financial institutions to help improve our economy. Camden National is grateful for their commitment to our state."

Chebeague Island Inn Recognized by Condé Nast Traveler's 2012 Gold List
Chebeague Island Inn was recognized by Condé Nast Traveler's 2012 Gold List as one of the top 500 hotels in the world. Only two hotels in Maine were recognized - and Chebeague came out ahead, with a score of 92.7.

GrowSmart Maine Receives $46,000 Grant
GrowSmart Maine has received a $46,000 grant from the Quality of Place Fund of the Maine Community Foundation for its work to promote Maine's quality of place by integrating working and natural landscape conservation, economic growth, and community revitalization. $10,000 of this award is intended to support GrowSmart Maine's Summit 2012.

GrowSmart Maine will use these funds to undertake a formal review of the issues raised in the landmark report Charting Maine's Future, analyzing progress, risks and opportunities since 2006. By including specific recommendations, suggestions and case studies, Charting Maine's Future 2020 will serve as Maine's strategic plan for sustainable growth for years to come. The project will culminate in a statewide summit in the fall of 2012.

GrowSmart Maine will also continue in its work to identify regulatory redundancies and other impediments to smart growth; build toward the completion of "ReEnvisioning the Highway Strip" to follow on the success of the Maine Model Town project in Standish; and advocate for sustainable prosperity in Maine.

GrowSmart Maine promotes quality of place by convening and engaging in public conversations about Maine's future, contributing common sense policy analysis, educating the public, advocating for state and local change, and supporting model practices.

In 2009, the Environmental Funders Network (EFN), a joint project of the Maine Community Foundation and the Maine Philanthropy Center, launched a collaborative funding initiative, "From Vision to Action: A Commitment to Maine's Quality of Place."

The Quality of Place Initiative supports projects that strengthen the link between the natural and built environments, emphasize public engagement, and take seriously the process and action elements required to build and sustain collaborations.

The Environmental Funders Network has awarded over $1.5 million over three years for 15 projects. "These organizations are committed to enhancing quality of place across Maine by strengthening the link between the natural and built environments through public engagement and collaboration," said Bo Norris, current chair of the EFN steering committee.

This is the third year the EFN has supported GrowSmart Maine.

Wrapping for Over 15,000 Reasons: Gift Wrapping at The Maine Mall Grants Three Wishes, Raises Funds for Local Nonprofits
The results are in for The Maine Mall's "Wrap for a Reason" program. From December 1-24^th, volunteers collected over fifteen thousand dollars for ten Cumberland County nonprofits while wrapping 3,378 presents.

"We were blown away by the generosity of people, and by how deliberate they were with their gift wrap and embellishment choices!" said Make a Wish employee and wrapper-extraordinaire Rebecca Leaming. The Maine Mall retrofitted their only vacant store into an elf's paradise for the month, complete with over 200 different wrapping papers, 1,200 bows, over 6,000 feet of ribbon and 200 rolls of tape. "Gift wrapping is an effective way for any nonprofit to raise funds and awareness.  It also provides a great service for our shoppers," said Craig Gorris, General Manager of The Maine Mall.

Retail is an unpredictable world, but thanks in part to 93.1, Portland Press Herald and Channel 6 news, who provided coverage of the event throughout the month, traffic picked up after the first week. In addition to Make A Wish, other nonprofits who participated were Family Crisis Services, Pine Tree Society, Camp to Belong Maine, Wells High School Project Graduation, Thornton Academy Middle School, Women In Harmony, STRIVE, Woodfords Family Services, and the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program. These charities averaged $350 in earnings per day. As Christmas approached and the temperature dropped, mall traffic soared, and Make a Wish Foundation was the lucky nonprofit scheduled to wrap during the entire week before Santa's arrival. They raised nearly twelve thousand dollars, which they'll use to grant the wishes of three Maine children in 2012. The mall already is starting a waitlist for participating nonprofits for next year and to increase the impact of the fundraiser the mall is accepting donations of new wrapping paper, gift boxes, ribbon, bows, tape and tissue paper from now through December 1, 2012. Donations can be dropped off between 9am and 4pm M-F in the Mall Management office between Bath and Bodyworks and Delias.

New England Communications achieves Avaya Connect Gold Certification
New England Communications announced today that it has been named a Gold-certified Channel Partner by Avaya, a global provider of business communications and collaboration solutions and services. The Avaya Connect Gold certification demonstrates that the New England Communications (NEC) team has developed comprehensive skills to help small and large size businesses transform their operations with unified communications, collaboration, and contact center solutions.

In recognition of the multi-vendor nature of today's business networks, Avaya Connect Gold channel partners earn their status by certifying staff members in the operation of Avaya systems and software and in the operation of solutions offered by other major information technology vendors. Gold-certified channel partners must meet rigorous service delivery and customer satisfaction criteria, develop comprehensive marketing plans, and meet annual revenue commitments for the sale of Avaya solutions and services.

Headquartered in Portland, Maine; New England Communications sells, installs, and maintains Avaya business communications solutions to businesses throughout New England. Beyond delivering integrated business solutions, NEC's reputation has been built on commitment to quality, service, and excellence.

"For over 20 years, New England Communications has provided superior customer service to valued customers throughout New England. Achieving this level of Avaya certification demonstrates how committed we are to ensure that our customers continue to get the highest quality solutions from us," said Eric Nason, president, New England Communications. "I am very proud of our associates and tremendously grateful to all of our customers.

"Avaya Connect certifications help us ensure that customers have a consistent, quality experience from purchase through implementation and ongoing support," said Karl Sunderland, vice president, US Channels, Avaya. "We are very pleased that New England Communications has aligned with Avaya to provide the expertise to customers to help us extend our reach and deliver the kinds of complete, end-to-end solutions that meet the challenges businesses and organizations face today."

Community Focus Pays Off as Norway Savings Bank Earns Highest 5-Star Rating
BauerFinancial, Inc., Coral Gables, Florida, the nation's leading bank rating and research firm, proudly recognizes Norway Savings Bank, Norway, Maine as a Superior 5-Star rated bank. A 5-Star rating denotes that Norway Savings Bank is one of the best in the nation in terms of its overall financial performance. In fact, Norway Savings Bank has earned this 5-Star Superior rating for the last 88 consecutive quarters putting it in an even more elite group of "Sustained Superiority Banks". Only 5% of the nation's banks can claim this distinction.

"The recent uproar against Big Banks has shed a whole new light on community banks, and for good reason," observes Karen L. Dorway, president of BauerFinancial. "While the primary focus of the big banks is dividend payments, smaller banks tend to be locals and therefore more in tune with the communities they serve. This community focus has paid off as Norway Savings Bank has earned Bauer's highest 5-Star rating for strength and stability.

Tom Saturley, of Tranzon Auction Properties, acquires ownership interest in Florida based Tranzon Driggers
Walt Driggers, CAI, AARE, announced today that majority interest in his long time real estate auction company, Tranzon Driggers, has been sold.   Driggers has partnered with Tom Saturley, CAI of Portland ME, current Chairman of the Board of Tranzon, LLC and owner of Portland based Tranzon Auction Properties, along with Jon Barber, Florida real estate broker and auction professional. This recent acquisition by Saturley adds Florida to his Tranzon holdings currently in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Colorado. The coalition assumed responsibility for operations this week.

Driggers called the new partnership "an exciting move that positions Tranzon Driggers to grow its presence in the Southeast and will provide additional depth and breadth of leadership for the company. The new ownership team positions Tranzon Driggers to create an additional advantage for our clients."

Healthcare Construction Certificate Awarded to Three Wright-Ryan Employees
Wright-Ryan Construction is pleased to announce Mike Barton, Preconstruction Manager; Brian Jacobs, Superintendent; and Marc Bourgeois, Superintendent, have been awarded the Healthcare Construction Certificate from the American Society for Healthcare Engineering of the American Hospital Association.

To earn this certificate, each employee completed an exam, and the Healthcare Contractor's Certificate Workshop in Boston, Massachusetts. The certificate proves each employee has, "...completed a level of healthcare construction experience along with a commitment and desire to improve their awareness, knowledge, and understanding of the healthcare construction environment, and thereby improve the quality of patient care."