Wilton’s Wilson Lake Inn inducted into Trip Advsor Hall of Fame

Wilton’s Wilson Lake Inn recently received two awards from Trip Advisor, the world’s largest travel review website, recognizing ongoing outstanding hospitality and guest satisfaction, according to a press relese from Trip Advisor.

The inn has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence for the fifth year running, and is one of the first of a group to be inducted into Trip Advisor’s inaugural Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame. Membership in the Hall of Fame is awarded only to businesses that have won the Certificate of Excellence five years in a row, according to the release. Launched in 2010, it’s awarded to organizations based on feedback made by their guests on TripAdvisor, recognizing review ratings, overall rating and quantity of reviews.

When selecting Certificate of Excellence winners, Trip Advisor uses a proprietary algorithm to determine the honorees, taking into account the quality and quantity of reviews and most importantly the opinions submitted by travelers on Trip Advisor over a 12-month period, according to the release. It also uses business’s tenure and ranking on the Popularity Index on the site. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall Trip Advisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on Trip Advisor for at least 12 months.

YMCA Camp of Maine in Winthrop names new director

The YMCA Camp of Maine has hired Jeffrey Gleason of Kingston, N.H., for the post of executive camp director. Gleason will take the position in September, according to a news release from the YMCA.

Board President Tom Christensen, Search Chairman Dennis Ring, and Board Member Jaime O’Connor nominated Gleason at an April board meeting and his election was unanimous, according to the rlease.

During the search process, Gleason met key camp staff, toured the director’s cabin with his wife and daughters, and meet the board.

“Jeff was a front runner from the beginning,” Christensen said in the release. “The more time we spent getting to know Jeff and learned about his passion for camping, we realized what an asset he would be to our camp and its programs.”

Gleason earned a bachelor of science in applied science from Paul Smith’s College in New York and his master’s in Business Administration from Plymouth State University. He is currently director of camping at Camp Lincoln in Kingston, N.H, part of the Southern District YMCA.

In 10 years at Camp Lincoln he was instrumental in increasing camp enrollment, and supported planning, fundraising and building a new dining hall. “Gleason has inspired his community to support Camp Lincoln’s summer and year-round children’s programs, while earning the respect of all who have worked with him,” said the release.

The YMCA Camp of Maine celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

“I can’t think of a more significant way to begin our next century at camp than with a new director and his wonderful family, all of whom will be great ambassadors for the camp,” Christensen said.

Van Smith is new Viles Arboretum collections manager-outreach specialist

Cooper Van Smith has taken the post of Vile Arboretum collections manager-outreach specialist.

Van Smith will be a key in the Shifting Gears Initiative at the Augusta arboretum, according to a press release from the organization. The initiative, with grants from Kennebec Savings Bank, the late Elsie Viles and the Betterment Foundation, is designed to advance public access and “improve all aspects of the visitor experience” at the arboretum, according to the release.

Mark DesMeules, executive director of the arboretum, said in the release, “Hiring Cooper is another very significant step forward in the overall rebirth of this wonderful resource everyone knows as the Arboretum. Cooper has the focus and skills we need to build greater public use and appreciation through significant attention to our botanical collections, access enhancement and interpretive and educational signage.”

Van Smith said his interest in nature and plant life makes him feel like he has the best job in the world. “My Arboretum work will be punctuated with academic pursuits at Unity College,” he said. “You are likely to encounter me out and about placing botanical labels, installing interpretive signs, restoring and pruning our various botanical collections and occasionally leading school groups.”

One effort will be uniquely designed kiosks at all six trail entrance points around the site’s 224 acres, according to the release. At present there are three unmarked access points coming off Piggery Road and visitors “don’t often realize they are using the Viles Arboretum grounds let alone our use policies,” the release said.

“With trail maps, membership applications and a host of educational information, using the Arboretum will be a much richer and fun experience with our new kiosk approach.”

Preti Flaherty attorneys Donahue and Lane earn Leading Lawyer distinction

Joseph G. Donahue and Michael L. Lane, partners at the law firm Preti Flaherty, were recently recognized by the legal directory Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

Donahue, of Gardiner, listed in the area of Energy & Natural Resources, was noted by Chambers as having a “strong reputation among peers for his practice and offers particular ability in regulatory compliance matters. He also offers significant strength in the representation of telecommunications entities,” according to a Preti Flaherty news release.

Lane, of Richmond, listed in the area of Real Estate, is recognized as offering “experience in title matters including for timberland sites. He is noted for his representation of landowners in transactional matters and strength in permitting procedures for real estate developers,” according to the release.

A total of 20 attorneys from Preti Flaherty were recognized in the leading directory of lawyers and law firms.