AUGUSTA — Jobs for Maine’s Graduates recently welcomed six new board members and a new board chairperson who will help launch JMG’s student-centered, results-driven priorities in its latest five-year strategic plan.
“We are excited about JMG’s slate of directors who bring diverse insight and expertise to JMG,” said JMG president and CEO Craig Larrabee, according to a news release from the private nonprofit. “Our recruitment efforts ensure that JMG’s board and leadership include experts from public education and private businesses from across the state and industry sectors.”
Jeremy Fischer Photo courtesy of JMG
JMG’s board of directors named Jeremy Fischer Esq. as board chairman. Fischer is an attorney with the Portland-based law firm Drummond Woodsum. He previously served three terms in the Maine State Legislature, where he was house chairman of the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs.
“As the needs of Maine’s students and schools continue to rapidly change and evolve, JMG and its board of directors stand ready as a trusted partner of public education,” said Fischer, according to the release. “JMG is a proven leader in education, and it has the expertise and resources needed to pivot quickly and effectively to help address any challenge — whether it’s keeping kids engaged during COVID-19, helping colleges and universities improve retention, or assisting employers to address Maine’s workforce crisis.”
JMG welcomed new members from the private sector, including Jean Sanders, CPA, director of Tax at L.L.Bean; Jon Mason, vice president of Human Resources at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works; Jesse Cyr, director of Strategic Communications at WEX; and Shawn Cunningham, news anchor at WAGM in Presque Isle. JMG board of directors enhanced its expertise in education in welcoming Ginny Swain, Professor Emerita at Dartmouth College; and Dr. Glenn Cummings, president of the University of Southern Maine.
Waterville Hannaford to feature expansion of in-store goods aimed at enhancing customer convenience
WATERVILLE – The Hannaford Supermarket and Pharmacy will welcome shoppers to enjoy a variety of new product offerings designed to offer customers a greater level of convenience following a recent renovation at its Waterville store at 140 Elm Plaza, according to a news release from Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough.
The renovated supermarket will include a variety of new features, including enhanced grab-and-go meal options such as hand-battered fried chicken, in-store prepared sandwiches and salads made on-site daily. Additionally, customers can enjoy more than 600 new organic, natural and gluten-free products.
“The addition of fresh and ready-made meal options is designed to make shopping as easy and convenient as possible for our customers,” said Hannaford Supermarkets Waterville Store Manager Toby Suttie, according to the release. “We look forward to welcoming our shoppers to experience these new offerings while continuing to enjoy our standard selection of high-quality food and produce, outstanding customer service and everyday low prices.”
In appreciation of the Waterville community, Hannaford will commemorate the completion of the renovation project with two community donations to local nonprofit organizations: $1,000 each to the Fairfield Interfaith Food Pantry and Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter.
President, CEO plans retirement from Maine Community Foundation
Steve Rowe, president and CEO of the Maine Community Foundation, will retire this summer. Rowe has led the statewide foundation since 2015, according to a news release from the foundation of Ellsworth and Portland.
“Steve Rowe arrived with a passion for MaineCF’s mission and has guided us through a very important time in the community foundation’s history,” said Karen Stanley, chairwoman of the Maine Community Foundation board of directors, according to the release. “His unwavering commitment to the people of Maine has helped us support critical work to build healthy communities and a vibrant economy. We are grateful for his contribution to the foundation.”
At the outset of Rowe’s tenure, he led community conversations across the state. At these meetings, hundreds of people talked about the opportunities and challenges they saw to improve the quality of life for residents of their communities. That feedback grew into MaineCF’s five-year strategic goal work. Starting in 2016, the foundation developed programs and strategies to address five core areas: a strong start for children, access to education, racial equity, thriving older people, and growth of entrepreneurship and innovation.
Since then, MaineCF’s efforts in those areas have included grant support for critical nonprofit work, support for advocacy, statewide educational summits, programs for donors, and new and expanding partnerships with local, regional and national organizations.
Under Rowe’s leadership, the foundation achieved its longtime goal of having a permanent fund in every county to support local grantmaking. Rowe also has guided work with MaineCF’s partners — donors and nonprofit organizations — to broaden support for climate change, land conservation, high-speed internet access and racial equity. He also has guided the community foundation’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than $7 million in emergency grants awarded to nonprofit organizations.
Rowe, 67, plans to leave the foundation this summer and looks forward to more time with family and other pursuits.
Opportunities, challenges for Maine’s Economic Future on Feb. 25
Mainebiz will host its annual Five on the Future Forum virtually this year Thursday, Feb. 25. The Five on the Future forum features a panel discussion, with a group of industry experts from top economists to area business leaders who will offer insights into what Maine businesses can expect during the rest of 2021, according to a news release from Mainebiz.
Jeffrey “Jeff” Fuhrer, executive vice president and chief strategy officer at MassDevelopment, will be the keynote and moderator. Fuhrer joined MassDevelopment as executive vice president/chief strategy officer in March 2020. Prior to joining MassDevelopment, Fuhrer served as executive vice president and senior policy adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, where he first oversaw and then advised the bank’s research, regional and community outreach, and diversity and inclusion functions. Fuhrer has been an associate economist at the Federal Open Market Committee, and he regularly attended these key U.S. policy making meetings with the bank’s president. He most recently co-led the staff steering committee for the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy framework review.
The panel will include Dava Davin, founder and principal of Portside Real Estate Group; Jessica Estes, partner, Designated Broker at The Boulos Company; Curtis Picard, president and CEO of the Retail Association of Maine and Derek Volk, president of Volk Packaging.
The Mainebiz Five on the Future virtual forum will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the virtual networking platform called Remo. From 10:30 to 11 a.m. there will be virtual video networking with attendees and then from 11 a.m. to noon the keynote and panel discussion will be held. Forum sponsors include CFA Society of Maine, Eaton Peabody, First National Bank and Northcross Group attendance is free of charge. For more information or to register, visit mainebiz.biz.
Julie Barter Lucas named Edward Jones principal
Julie Barter Lucas, who has served as an Edward Jones financial adviser in Hallowell and Augusta the past 13.5 years, has been named a principal with the firm’s holding company, The Jones Financial Companies LLLP. She was one of 161 individuals chosen this year from more than 50,000 associates across the United States and Canada to join the firm’s principals, according to a news release from Edward Jones.
Lucas and her husband, Pete, will remain in central Maine, where she will continue to serve investors.
HealthReach announces new board member, chairperson for 2021
WATERVILLE — Connie Coggins, president and CEO of HealthReach Community Health Centers, has announced that the organization’s governing board of directors will have a new member and board chairperson. In 2021, Brenda Stevens will serve as HealthReach’s Board Chairwoman, and Ann Nicholson will join the organization’s board, according to a news release from HealthReach.
Nicholson is a resident of Bethel and former special education teacher, having worked with students with disabilities from prekindergarten to adulthood. After losing her vision in 1996, she completed a rehabilitation program at Pittsburgh Vision Services to become a rehabilitation teacher, helping students develop independent living skills. In addition, she was a public speaker at schools and for The United Way, promoting education about blindness. Nicholson moved to Maine in 2012 with her husband and enjoys opportunities to speak to groups about coping with life changes, blindness and her use of guide dogs.
Stevens is a Maine native who retired from the field of education, where she worked as a teacher, principal and superintendent in western Maine for more than 40 years. She received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Maine and has served on HealthReach’s Governing Board for two years.
She assumes the role of board chairperson as John Opperman’s term on the board is complete. In addition, Tom Reeves is retiring after two years of service on the board of directors.
In 2021, Stevens will serve as chairwoman of the governing board of directors, Bruce Harrington as vice chairperson and Terry Brann as secretary/treasurer.
ECI acquires Casco Systems in Maine
BILLINGS, Mont. — Electrical Consultants Inc., a leading power delivery provider to the utility and energy industries in North America, has announced the acquisition of Casco Systems, headquartered in Cumberland, Maine. Casco is a respected consultant that has provided design, protection, integration, automation and testing services to a broad spectrum of utilities, renewable energy developers, generation plants and industrial clients for more than 19 years. In addition to the Cumberland office, Casco maintains field offices in Waterville, Maine, and Rochester, New York, according to a news release from the power delivery provider.
The integration of Casco with ECI is the most recent of ECI’s multi-step initiatives to advance its presence, relationships and services along the Eastern Seaboard. This acquisition brings together teams that share ECI’s culture of relentless dedication to optimum quality and timeliness. Both companies provide engineering, commissioning and construction services to some of the same regional customers. Casco brings deep industry-leading IEC-61850 design, integration, protection and cyber security expertise to benefit ECI’s wide range of utility and energy customers. Casco will operate under the name Casco Systems — “A Division of Electrical Consultants, Inc.” for the foreseeable future.
“The addition of the Casco team will support ECI in continuing to meet our customer’s unprecedented demands for engineering and construction management services with distinction,” said Richard McComish, ECI president and EPCS president, according to the release.
For more business news, visit CentralMaine.com.
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