Employees at Gardiner Federal Credit Union have been putting in time at Spectrum Generations’ Cohen Center, to help package meals for the center’s Meals on Wheels program. All of FCU’s staff is eligible to help, and interest has been strong.

Every Tuesday morning, two staff members don their hair nets and aprons and spend two hours filling to-go containers with nutritious meals.

The credit union team raises money for Ending Hunger year round but wanted to do more. The Cohen Center is one of the eight organizations and food pantries to receive Ending Hunger funds from the credit union.

In May, Gardiner FCU presented a total of $19,859 to area food pantries and to groups like Meals on Wheels. The credit union raises these funds throughout the year.

Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce names vice president of operations

The Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce has a new vice president of operations. Brandi Meisner studied at Thomas College in Waterville, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in business management. She also holds a master’s degree in business from that school. Meisner formerly served as community banker for Skowhegan Savings Bank. The MMCC job is a new position for the chamber. Meisner is expected to focus on member growth and retention, marketing, social media and website development.

She lives in Skowhegan with her husband and daughter. Together they help run two family businesses, Maine Cedar Hot Tubs and the Skowhegan Wooden Ruler. The latter is a web store that sells custom rulers that parents can use to mark a growing child’s milestones.

Maine tourism businesses see strong July Fourth weekend

The tourism sector in Maine is bouncing back from lockdowns and social-distancing requirements, if sales on July Fourth are any guide. The Maine Tourism Association recently polled its members about the holiday weekend’s business, visitor trends and how the workforce shortage is playing out.

According to chief executive officer Tony Cameron, 40% of respondents said that business was better than during a normal year like 2019, while 47% said their businesses were performing at 75% to 100% of a normal season. Only 5% said business was worse than usual over the holiday weekend.

Cameron cautioned that plentiful challenges remain, referring to closed Canadian borders as well as a workforce shortage. Both are “tremendously affecting all aspects of tourism,” Cameron said.

The Canadian border closure has impacted 33% of businesses significantly or moderately, according to survey respondents. Forty-six percent said they had half or fewer of the employees they needed this summer. This has led to 37% of respondents reducing business hours. “The surge in business this summer is terrific, but clearly we are leaving millions in tourism dollars on the table due to staffing shortages,” said Cameron.

Franklin Savings Bank provides remote financial literacy learning resources

An initiative from Franklin Savings Bank has made it easier for some of the state’s public schools to provide partial or full remote learning in the wake of COVID-19. Because of the bank’s sponsorship, more than 2,200 students and teachers at 19 schools in Maine have free access to Banzai. Banzai is an online financial-literacy program.

“Kids work through assignments that are based on real life,” said Banzai co-founder Morgan Vandagriff. “More than ever, it’s important that kids develop sound financial skills to prepare them for the real world.”

Ross Isacke to join Franklin Community Health Network

Ross Isacke will join Franklin Community Health Network, a member of MaineHealth, as chief medical officer Sept. 7.

As CMO, Isacke will be a leader for the FCHN physicians and advanced practice providers. He will also oversee the clinical operation that includes quality of care, patient safety and more.

Isacke has worked as a hospitalist at Maine Medical Center in Portland and Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway. Born in Gorham and raised in Yarmouth, he worked at his local fire department in his youth, then in emergency medical services and as a nurse’s aide during his Bates College and medical-school years. He received his medical degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed his residency in internal medicine at Maine Medical Center.

Rita LaBarbera to join Belgrade Regional Health Center

Rita Alfonso LaBarbera, a clinical social worker, will join the staff at Belgrade Regional Health Center in August.

A graduate of Boston University, LaBarbera has over 31 years of experience working with people of all ages in outpatient, residential, private practice and education settings. Her clinical areas of expertise include women’s and LGBTQ issues, depression, the elderly and relationship issues.

She will join physicians Amy Madden and Michael Landrum, nurse practitioners Jennifer Caudell, Katie Gillihan and Josephine Poulin, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Dianne Raymond.

Noël Bonam named new state director of AARP Maine

Noël Bonam has joined AARP Maine as its new state director. He succeeds Lori Parham, who served in the role for nearly 10 years and accepted a new position in AARP’s national Government Affairs office in May.

Before joining AARP, Bonam had been the head of the Global Institute, a public-benefit organization (with operational hubs in Denmark, India and the U.S.), specializing in social equity, leadership development and organizational sustainability. He is also the former director of the Bureau of Multicultural Affairs for the state of Maine.

Bonam called his new job “the opportunity of a lifetime to advance the quality of life of older people in our state.”

He holds a master’s degree in public personnel management from Osmania University (India) and a certification in diversity, equity and inclusion in human resources from Cornell University. He is the chairman of the board of trustees of the Association for World Education, an international NGO specializing in lifelong learning.

For more business news, visit CentralMaine.com.

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