Editor’s note: This is the second half of The Star-Herald’s review of the regional business news and events of 2006.
July
• Shawn Manter and Dave Ricker open Aroostook Inspection Service offering home and business inspections throughout Aroostook County from their Houlton Road, Presque Isle, office.
• Maine Potato Board members pass 2006-2007 budget. As of June 21, members approved $1,117,480 budget.
• A Hair Above, owned by Peggy Strid, opened for business in Fort Fairfield, offering services for men, women and children including cuts, perms and tinting.
• Former UMPI student Arthur Davis, Saco-based partner of LTC Financial Partners, advocated Health Savings Account for clients needing long-term health care.
• Northern Massage Therapy, owned by Stephanie Caverhill and her husband Troy, offered no “fluff and buff” at Northern Physical Therapy, located in Presque Isle.
• Roland Walker celebrated 35 years with New York Life Insurance Company, based out of his office on North Street in Presque Isle.
• Dennis W. Haggerty, president and CEO of First Citizens Bank, announced the names of the 2006 First Citizens Scholarship recipients, including the following high school seniors from throughout Aroostook County: Kenny Plourde, Kyle Patterson, Jake Rogeski, Mindy Grant, Carrie Mallett and Christina Merrill.
• First Citizens Bank recognized employees for Center for Financial Training educational achievements, including: Pat Brown, Renee Saucier, Sheree Sweeney and Diana Field.
• Michael A. Thibodeau was promoted to manager of the customer service department at Maine Mutual Group in Presque Isle.
• Mary McCarthy, a registered nurse with TAMCís Cardiology Department, was nominated for the Maine Hospital Associationís fifth annual Caregiver of the Year Award.
• Ruth and Ronald Moir, of Woodland, were honored at the annual Maine Potato Board dinner. The Moirs were named 2006 Farm Family of the Year.
• John J. Dennis, a member of the Aroostook Band of Mic Macs of Presque Isle, participated in the Bureau of Indian Affairs Water Resources Technician Training Program at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, N.M.
• The Maine Lottery announced the winners of the June Backyard Bonanza Promotion. Paul Vaillincourt, of Washburn, was the lucky winner of a John Deere riding tractor.
• Ray’s Corner Variety, located on Academy Street in Presque Isle, and owned by Raylene and Barry Shaw, celebrated its one-year anniversary with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
• TAMC’s Paul J. Barrett, B.S. Pharm.D., MPA, BCPS, senior manager, Pharmacy and IV Therapy, was named a Fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists for distinguished service to pharmacy practice in hospitals and health systems.
• First Citizens Bank President and CEO Dennis Haggerty recognized several staff members for length of service awards. Recipients included: Cindy Flanagan, Susan Grove-Markwood, Becky Rouse, Ann Beaulier, Kathy Beaumont, Julie Howlett, Renee Saucier, Lisa Scott, Diane Sherwood and Pat Webb.
• Katahdin Valley Health Center announced that Dr. Lawrence Crystal, DPM, expanded his podiatric services to include an office in Houlton.
• Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Wayne Kennard in recognition of his home-based consulting business, Kennard and Associates.
• Northern Maine Oral and Facial Surgery PA for the second time achieved the highest accreditation offered by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.
August
• Gov. John E. Baldacci paid visits to Northern Maine Bottling Company, located in the Industrial Park, as well as Slopes Northern Maine Restaurant and Brewing Company on Maysville Street, meeting with the companiesí owners, Dr. Hank Ford and Dr. Imbesat Daudi.
• Officials of the Maine Winter Sports Center announced the addition of Bill Haggett to the MWSC Board of Directors.
• County potato farmers were advised about blight and bugs by crops specialist Jim Dwyer for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
• BankNorth Maine was recognized for its commitment to Maine students by the national organization Jobs for Americaís Graduates.
• Mojo, owned by Melanie and Hal Stewart, opened for business on Main Street offering a wide selection of outdoor sporting goods and equipment, including bikes, skis and kayaks.
• Gov. John E. Baldacci took a walking tour of the site for the Maine Mutual Group expansion on Maysville Street.
• Stantec, a local design firm with offices throughout Maine, including Presque Isle, was ranked the 40th largest design firm in the world.
• Katahdin Trust Company President and CEO Jon Prescott announced the appointment of Aaron Kouhoupt as compliance officer.
• Presque Isle Home Interiors and Gifts Inc., one of the nations largest direct sellers of home dÈcor accessories, rewarded Tricia Bragan, of Presque Isle, with a trip for two to Mexico.
• Randy and Pam Hutton moved from Jacksonville, Fla., to Presque Isle, opening Goin’ Postal on North Street in Presque Isle, specializing in packaging and shipping, as well as other services.
• Dutch firm Riverwoods III-CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business and part of the Wolters Kluwer tax account and legal division, announced an agreement to acquire the assets of ATX/Kleinrock, headquartered in Rockville, Md. The business offers a variety of tax software support, with an office in Caribou.
• Chris Anderson, president of FA Peabody Company, announced the appointment of Andrew Peabody as sales agent in the Presque Isle office.
• Christa Galipeau, owner of Great Expectations Tutoring Service, opened her home-based Presque Isle business, offering an array of tutoring services in a various areas of study.
• Daigle Oil Company, with branches throughout Aroostook County, upgraded three facilities in Presque Isle, Caribou and Fort Kent to offer better service to customers.
• Rick Daigle, chairman of Maine and Maritimes Corporation, announced the resignation of J. Nick Bayne, president and chief executive officer. Nathan Grass, vice chairman, was named to serve as interim president and CEO.
• Maine Potato Board was unimpressed with NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) delays in completing necessary paperwork.
• Women, Work and Community offered a free workshop series titled ìCreating Your Future.î Workshop participants explored their values and interests, identity transferable skills and investigate potential career fields.
• Jennifer Howlett opened Critter Comforts, a pet-sitting business, offering in-home pet care for people planning to be out of town.
• S.W. Collins hosts extreme kitchen makeover contest looking for the ugliest kitchen. The winner was Sandy Sargent, of Woodland.
• Healing Hearts Ranch, located in Mars Hill, received $2,000 from the Aroostook County Fund of the Maine Community Foundation. Funds were used for further certification.
• Cathy M. Viel was named vice president in the Mortgage Department of TD BankNorth in the Bangor branch.
September
• Griffeth Farms, of Caribou, was named McCain Champion Potato Grower for Aroostook County. Griffeth Farms is owned by John Sr., John Jr., Matthew and Steven Griffeth.
• Easton’s Heidi O’Clair-Thompson was promoted from adviser to unit manager through lia Sophia, a home-based jewelry distribution business.
• KeyBank employees gave back to their communities by providing a variety of services to over 40 communities throughout the state as part of Make-A-Difference Day.
• Local employees provided on-hand services at the Habitat for Humanity home being constructed in Fort Fairfield.
• Kevin Malenfant received $1,000 check from Wal-Mart after being nominated by student Keith Clark as Wal-Mart’s Teacher of the Year for this area of the state.
• WAGM began broadcasting the Fox network.
• Spinney’s Color and Design Center, owned by Grant Spinney, opened for business on the Houlton Road in Presque Isle, offering hand-crafted unfinished wooden furniture, paint supplies and estimates for designs for both interior and exterior work for homeowners and businesses throughout Aroostook County.
• Pioneer Wireless purchased MFX Internet. Dial-up numbers, as well as MFX e-mail addresses, remained the same.
• Signs improved safety at The Aroostook Medical Center. Patients and visitors were urged to use caution due to changes made around the facility.
• Department of Environmental Protection resolved cases with Huber Engineered Woods, LLC, of Easton, and J&D McCrum, of Mars Hill, with the businesses agreeing to comply with laws and make necessary changes.
• Arthur Davis, Saco-based partner of LTC Financial Partners LLC, announced the winners of the “Over 65, Into OveríDrive” contest.
• KeyBank employees help turn house into a home for Fort Fairfield family, as part of the latest Habitat for Humanity project.
• The Wintergreen Arts Center began to take shape at the Aroostook Centre Mall. The center offered a place for local individuals to pursue their interests in various forms of art.
• The Northern Maine Development Commission focused on the future. Bob Clark, executive director of NMDC, discussed grants for the Houlton Water Company, multiuse trail management plans and ongoing resort development news.
• The Northern Maine Development Commission and Aroostook Partnership for Progress received the 2006 Champion of Economic Development Award.
• Griffeth Ford Lincoln Mercury celebrated its 10-year anniversary as plans moved forward for construction of the companyís newest building on Main Street in Presque Isle.
• SBA District Director Mary McAleney visited Aroostook County, stating sheíd never seen a defeatist attitude when it came to the business climate in Aroostook County.
• Katahdin Trust Company Senior Vice President of Commercial Service Peter St. John announced the appointment of Kendall R. Roy as assistant vice president commercial services officer in Presque Isle and Caribou area.
• The NESHRM Employment Law and Human Resource Conference was held at the UMPI Campus Center. The conference discussed discrimination laws, retirement plan issues for employer participants and return to work/worker’s compensation.
October
• The Downtown Revitalization Committee continued its efforts to make improvements to the downtown area of Presque Isle, hoping to attract more businesses and customers to the heart of town.
• The Maine Lottery announced two local stores sold winning tickets for smaller Megabucks and Powerball prizes. Ashland One Stop sold one, while the other was sold at The County Quik Stop in Caribou.
• Opportunity Maine announced a ballot initiative aimed at making higher education for residents more accessible and affordable.
• S.W. Collins, of Presque Isle, completed a makeover of its store to better serve customer needs.
• Financial expert Randy Wilcox returned to Aroostook County to provide financial assistance to improve the futures of interested groups and individuals.
• Northern Maine General, a social service agency, teamed up to provide a fun day for NMG and Bridges participants.
• Local residents were honored by lia sophia. Tammy Duncan, of Caribou, Leslie Willette, of Chapman received a quarterly recruiting award for their efforts.
• Project Management Institute planned meetings for educational lectures, with the topic being E-Health Care in Rural Maine.
• Lowe’s, a home-improvement business with stores nationwide, opened a facility on Maysville Street in Presque Isle.
• Officials with the state of Maine Board of Nursing expressed their confidence in the quality of nursing education at Northern Maine Community College.
• MPG converted to ACE Hardware products. A new store was scheduled to be built at the Parsons Street location.
• NESHRM planned to award the Deborah Kierstead and Milton Bailey Memorial scholarships.
• Smythe’s IGA Plus was honored for its work with senior citizens. Owner Bob Buckley accepted the award for being a Silver Collar Employer due to his continued work with matching the needs of senior employees.
• Maine spuds were the hit at Big E in Massachusetts.
• The Magic Mirror Hair and Tanning Salon, owned by Penny Robinson, relocated from Ashland to Mapleton. Cuts, perms and tanning sessions were just some of the services offered.
• An activity coordinated by TAMC helped teach participants what life was like for others with disabilities.
November
• Basic Foods Inc., of Mars Hill, donated $2,000 to North Star Search and Rescue, based in Mapleton, to help rescue organization acquire much-needed equipment.
• Ruby Tuesday, a restaurant located at the Aroostook Centre Mall, began offering curbside service for on-the-go patrons.
• CitiFinancial sponsored a food drive to benefit GIFT, Grace Interfaith Food Table, located on Industrial Street in Presque Isle. GIFT provides food free to those in need.
• The Maine Lottery announced the winners of its latest promotions. Winning a 60GB iPod was: Tricia Scull, of Fort Fairfield. Winning Boston Red Sox Tickets were: Sherry, of Fort Fairfield, purchased at Industrial Street One Stop in Presque Isle; and Gerald, of Fort Fairfield, purchased at Harvest Market in Fort Fairfield.
• MST Outdoors Inc., owned by Matt Farnham, opened for business on the Houlton Road, providing maintenance and accessories for outdoor enthusiasts and their equipment.
• Miles for Smiles Oral Health Program, a partnership making a difference for Maine children, was presented a Giraffe Award by the Maine Children’s Alliance, in recognition of its work with improving oral health for Maine children.
• The Aroostook Partners in the Arts celebrated the Culinary Arts with a lecture and cooking demonstration at the Nordic Heritage Center.
• Northern Maine Community College welding students benefited from the expertise of Dean Donovan, a representative of South Dakota-based Smith Welding and Cutting Equipment, a leading manufacturer of oxy-fuel cutting, welding and heating equipment and specialty gas regulators, during a half-day visit with the class.
• NMCC students taking part in the automotive body repair program were the beneficiaries of a donation of about $7,100 worth of materials from Griffeth Ford of Caribou and Presque Isle.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a recall involving acetaminophen 500 mg pain reliever produced by Perrigo Company of Allegan, Mich., and distributed by local stores including: K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Sav-A-Lot, CVS, Hannaford Progressive and Brooks Eckerd Drug.
• Local businessmen Jerry Tanner and Terry Greenier, owners of the Irish Setter Pub in Presque Isle, were recognized by Inc. 500 magazine for their Alaska-based home health care company, Immediate Care. The two men were scheduled to accept their award in San Francisco early in 2007.
• Jeff Schipper, a personal chef with over 25 years of experience in the food and hospitality industry, started his own personal chef service called The Tasting Spoon, with services offered throughout Aroostook County.
• The Maine Potato Board released the 2006 Anti-Bruise Program statistics.
• Governor’s Restaurant, with branches in Presque Isle and Houlton, offered healthier cooking by switching cooking oils to a trans-fat-free liquid blend.
• Limestone’s Tom Cote was selected as the resident artist for this year’s Rotary Auction in Presque Isle.
• Maine baked potato booth netted $355,380 at the Big E.
• Spudland Alpacas, a Blainep-based business, opened store for holiday season at the Aroostook Centre Mall, featuring merchandise made with alpaca fiber and corn-fed stoves and furnaces.
• Visiting Nurses of Aroostook ranks high for home care. Home Health Interactive recognized VNA as one of the most successful home care services in the United States.
• Connect North America began the hiring process for its Presque Isle division, located at the former MBNA site on Green Hill Drive.
• Winnie’s, a Parsons Street restaurant, hosted a pictures-with-Santa session.
December
• Harry’s Motor Sports moved across Main Street to a new location to better serve customers with an expanded product line and added space for customer parking.
• NMCC worked cooperatively with the NMCC foundation, turning to prominent community leaders to launch a major fund-raising campaign in the new year.
• The Movie Gallery, with branches in Presque Isle and Caribou, joined Pizza Hut branches in those communities in collecting health and beauty aids for clients of the Battered Women’s Project.
• TAMC tree lights offered hope. A special ceremony was held at the Lights of Hope tree.
• JJJ’s, owned by Deb and Bud Wood, opened for business in Easton, just off Route 1A, offering a wide selection of antiques and collectibles, from furniture to sporting goods.
• Katahdin Trust Company helped youth take charge, with staff visiting local schools, teaching students about financial responsibilities.
• Ronald Rohe, M.D., was recognized by Angel Flight NE for his commitment to bettering patient care.
• Rathbun Lumber Co., of State Street in Presque Isle, served as the collection site for toys destined for distribution to area children at Christmas.
• A bolt-tightening ceremony was held at the site of the new MPG Shopping Center on Parsons Street in Presque Isle.
• Maine Mutual Group announced the promotion of Robin Grass to accountant.
• NMCC announced it would offer a new course to students focusing on: personal care management, ethical and legal issues, cultural influences on health care, introductory pharmacology and basic clinical lab skills.
• The Maine Lottery announced the winners of its GPS promotion. Ashland One Stop sold one of the winning tickets.
• TAMC Healthcare Charitiesí Lights of Hope Campaign supported cancer care, hosting a tree-lighting ceremony to draw attention to the issue.
• Close to My Heart, a scrapbooking company and direct sales company, released its spring idea book to its consultants and customers. Denise Dumais was offering the new products to anyone interested in scrapbooking and stamping.
• NorthernMainePhotos.Com, a business featuring northern Maine photos by area photographers including Voscar and Paul Cyr, offered their work for sale to an international market, just a mouse-click away.
• Dead River Company’s P. Andrews Nixon, chairman, CEO and president, announced that Robert A. Moore of Cumberland had been elected by the companyís Board of Directors to the newly created position of president and chief operating officer effective Jan. 1, 2007.
