Nonprofit Associates for Training and Development win Maine’s Silver Collar Award

The nonprofit Associates for Training and Development (A4TD) recently won the Silver Collar Award, which is given annually by the State Workforce Board and “honors employers whose policies and practices match the needs of mature employees, capturing their skills and experience, strong work ethic, flexibility and enthusiasm.” A4TD accepted the award in Augusta on Nov. 2, according to a press release.

In acceptance of the award, A4TD company president and CEO Pat Elmer said, “I want to thank you for this award and compliment you for your foresight in creating this mechanism for bringing attention to the fact that in the coming decades mature workers will be one of the largest sources of talent available to meet the demands of employers and an expanding economy. We are committed to assisting Maine’s Mature Workers so they are successful in acquiring and retaining the jobs that align with their interests and abilities.”

A4TD is a nonprofit that operates the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) in five states including Maine.

The SCSEP enrolls eligible job seekers age 55+ into paid part-time training positions and at public agencies or nonprofits in the local community. Participants provide a valuable community service while gaining new skills. Eventually, they leave the program for unsubsidized employment.

Along with A4TD, other 2017 winners include Care & Comfort, Community Health Options, and Moody’s Co-worker Owned, Inc.

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Katharine Noble elected as chairwoman of Dental Assisting National Board

The Dental Assisting National Board Inc., the national certification board for dental assistants, has elected Katharine J. Noble as the Chair of its Board of Directors. She also will serve as a trustee on the 2017-2018 Board of Trustees for the DALE Foundation, the official affiliate of DANB.

Katharine J. Noble, SSgt Maine Air National Guard, is a dental assistant who lives in Vienna and works at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, according to a press release.

She has been a dental assistant for 20 years and holds the national Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) and Certified Restorative Functions Dental Assistant (CRFDA) certifications. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Health.

Noble retired in May 2017 after 21 years as a Hospital Corpsman, Chief Petty Officer, in the U.S. Navy Reserve and as the Senior Enlisted Leader for Expeditionary Medical Facility Bethesda in Bangor supporting over 160 active duty and reserve sailors’ medical and dental needs. Noble was trained as a combat corpsman, serving 13 years with the 4th Marine Logistics Group, 4th Dental Battalion, supporting the U.S. Marine Corps.

She is a member of the American Dental Assistants Association and Navy Enlisted Reserve Association and has served as president of the New Jersey Dental Assistants’ Association and president of the Monmouth/Ocean County Dental Assistant Society, New Jersey.

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Winthrop chamber hosts holiday parade

The Annual Winthrop Holiday Parade is less than a month away and the Winthrop Area Chamber of Commerce is urging businesses to participate, according to a press release from the chamber.

The parade has been a time-honored tradition for the last 33 years. Hundreds of people come to downtown Winthrop to enjoy the festive, family-fun holiday event. This year, the parade is at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2. Line-up starts at 2:30 pm at the top of Main Street near Cumberland Farms.

Though the parade is in Winthrop, businesses and groups in the Chamber’s entire region including Wayne, Readfield, Manchester, Monmouth, Fayette and Mount Vernon are encouraged to take part.

Riding clubs and other groups with animals are also invited to participate. As always, live music is encouraged, so if you are involved with a musical group, consider joining the holiday parae.

Please fill out the participation form on the Chamber’s web site and mail or scan and email to the Chamber at WLRCC, PO Box 51, Winthrop, ME 04364 or info@winthropchamber.org. No one will be allowed to participate in the parade unless they have completed and sent the form.

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For more information, contact Chamber Director Barbara Walsh at 377-8020 or info@winthropchamber.org.

Camden National Bank launches new feedback program

Camden National Bank recently announced the launch of a new customer experience initiative called CamdenCircle, aimed at continuously collecting and processing customer feedback in order to meet customers’ evolving needs, according to a press release from the bank.

CamdenCircle brings to life the bank’s vision of providing simple, secure and innovative banking products and services. As the CamdenCircle effort has developed, customer loyalty has increased significantly as measured through ongoing listening channels, including customer surveys and a feedback submission portal.

A community bank headquartered in Maine, Camden National Bank prides itself on providing smart and friendly financial service in addition to the latest digital banking products for its customers.

Executive director of Thomas College’s Institute for Business Innovation to speak in Gardiner

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Gardiner area businesses are encouraged to attend a “Dollars to Donuts” program Tuesday that will feature the executive director of Thomas College’s Harold Alfond Institute for Business Innovation, according to a press release from Gardiner Main Street.

Mike Duguay will talk about his approach to business innovation and entrepreneurship and how any business can use the same approach to test and implement effective, incremental changes while staying true to your core business.

Business owners know that success comes from hard work, ingenuity, and constant innovation. Customer preferences, technology, demographics, the regulatory environment and market opportunities are constantly changing. Businesses of all sizes and all disciplines must learn how to adapt to these changes.

In addition to touching on business innovation, Duguay will share the opportunities presented by his program, which matches Thomas College interns with businesses, provides engineering/design thinking workshops, business and employee training, and academic courses on the subject of entrepreneurship.

Dollars to Donuts starts at 8:30 a.m. at Frosty’s Donuts, 347 Water St. in Gardiner. This program is presented at no cost to participants. All businesses in the greater Gardiner area are welcome.

Huard designated certified residential specialist

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Jill Huard, of Waterville, has been awarded the Certified Residential Specialist Designation by the Council of Residential Specialists, the largest not-for-profit affiliate of the National Association of Realtors, according to a press release.

Realtors who receive the designation have completed advanced professional training and demonstrated outstanding professional achievement in residential real estate. Only 32,000 Realtors nationwide have earned the credential.

Huard is an associate broker with Century 21 Surette Real Estate and is a member of the Kennebec Valley Board of Realtors. She is also a past president of that board and of the Board of Directors for the Maine Children’s Home, as well as an incoming member of the Mid Maine Chamber of Commerce, and the co-chairwoman of the KVBR Dancing with the Realtors fundraising event.

Compiled from contributed releases


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