Year in Review:
A look at the first half of 2016 in business news
By Joshua Archer
Special to the Star-Herald
Another exciting year for Star City businesses. Here are some highlights of what happened during the first half of 2016.
January
The 40th annual American Agri-Women (AAW) Convention was held in Portland with 147 in attendance. Two local women were recognized for their dedication to the AAW. Pam Townsend of Mars Hill, president of Maine Agri-Women, and Diane Hemphill of Presque Isle received the AAW President’s Award.
The City of Presque Isle received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting as given by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive annual financial report. This marked the 16th time in 17 years the city has received this award.
In a 15-year history that has seen two other expansions, North Country Auto reached further south into the Biddeford market. North Country’s new facility is in a heavily traveled area, which North Country owner Randy Norsworthy thinks is just right.
February
The Presque Isle Regional Career and Technical Center (PIRCTC) at Presque Isle High School joined in celebrating National Career and Technical Education (CTE) Week. To help mark the occasion, the center opened its doors and invited the community in to see some of its many features.
Bill Flagg, director of community relations and development at Cary Medical Center in Caribou was appointed an Ambassador for Healthy Food in Health Care, New England, a program of Health Care Without Harm (HCWH). The mission of HCWH is to transform the health sector, worldwide, with-out compromising patient safety or care, so that it becomes ecologically sustainable and a leading advocate for environmental health and justice.
March
Northern Maine Community College welcomed Jeff Pangburn of Presque Isle to its Foundation Board. The foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to raise and distribute funds to help NMCC meet its commitment to provide superior educational opportunities.
Caribou’s Gallagher Insurance Agency was recognized by the Concord Group Insurance Companies for representing the insurer as an independent agency for over 55 years. The presentation was part of a larger event Concord hosts every three years to honor the agencies that contribute to Concord’s successful growth and profitability by providing outstanding service to their clients.
Northern Maine Community College students brought home gold, silver and bronze medals after competing in the SkillsUSA Maine Championships held in Bangor. About 750 college and high school trade and technical students from across Maine competed in several categories at Eastern Maine Community College and the United Technologies Center.
Contributed photo/Presque Isle Rotary Club
U.S. Senator Susan Collins spoke with the Presque Isle Rotary Club and the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club at the Northeastland Hotel about the challenges facing seniors and veterans.
Two local service clubs — the Kiwanis and Rotary — held a joint meeting to welcome Sen. Susan Collins for an update on efforts underway in Washington, D.C. The senator spoke before a packed audience about everything from efforts to prevent scams targeting senior citizens to work underway to support business growth in Aroostook County.
April
Contributed photo
SECOND PLACE IN STATE — Twenty-nine Presque Isle High School Future Business Leaders of America members competed against 10 schools from Maine at the annual FBLA convention, held recently in Portland. The local chapter earned second place overall. Members at the convention included, from left, seated, Lydia Patterson, Maggie Cyr, Katie Ford, Gabriella Donovan, Emma Beaulieu, Mari Shaw, Lauren Graves, Ally Bell and Rachel Maxwell. Second row, Alyssa Sweeney, Malerie Buck, Alisa Brewer, Karen Jones, Rachel Driscoll, Victoria Williamson, Sierra Blade, Leslie Mejia, Emily Sjoberg, Alaina Sweetser, Tristen Woodworth and Patrick Michaud. Third row, Kylee Mejia, Shaye McHatten, Cole Staples, Matthew Bouchard, Patrick Cash, Sam Gray, Kailee Clark and Grant Hemphill.
The PIHS Future Business Leaders of America chapter competed against 10 schools from Maine at the annual FBLA convention. The Presque Isle team came home with several medals and placed second overall.
The 36th annual Northern Maine Agri-Business Trade Fair was held at The Forum in Presque Isle and once again was a boon for companies, customers, and The County alike. Thousands attended the trade fair to the Forum to test the latest tools and technology supporting work done in the fields, forests and farms of Aroostook County.
A gift from the United Way of Aroostook helped kidney disease patients from all over The County get to their treatments. The County Dialysis Center in Presque Isle received a $2,000 check recently from the United Way. The funds assisted patients from every corner of Aroostook County with transportation costs.
May
U.S. Cellular and the Penobscot Boys and Girls Club, which includes the Presque Isle club, announced a donation of $2,500 for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programming this year. This contribution expanded programming to help local youth succeed in school and prepare for future careers.
The Presque Isle Rotary Club announced the recipients of this year’s Outstanding Seniors awards during its annual luncheon for PIHS seniors at UMPI. The awards, given each year to a graduating PIHS male and female, included a $2,000 scholarship from the club. Outstanding Male Senior was Sam Gray and Outstanding Female Senior was Jillian Flynn.
Acadia Federal Credit Union announced that Tammy Curran was promoted to the position of branch manager at their Ashland location. Curran now supervises the overall branch operations and maintain credit union policies and procedures.
June
New Ventures Maine (formerly Women, Work, and Community) announced the addition of Karin Petrin as a new micro enterprise specialist. Petrin, based at New Ventures’ northern office in Preble Hall at UMPI, provides small business development and personal financial management services in Aroostook County.
The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, and its Maine Market President presented the local ACAP Head Start with a donation of $5,000. The presentation was held at ACAP Early Care and Education Center, Gouldville.
Griffeth Ford Lincoln of Presque Isle recently presented $1,080 to the PIHS Boosters Club, the proceeds from their spring 2016 Drive 4Ur School event. Sherry L. Bradley, customer relations manager for the dealership, presented Presque Isle Boosters Club President Herman Legassie with a check for $1,080 in a ceremony June 15 at the Presque Isle business.
Hampton Inn in Presque Isle received a 2016 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award. Now in its sixth year, the achievement celebrates hospitality businesses that have earned great traveler reviews on the online TripAdvisor website over the past year.
CubbyGives, a program of The Cubby Thriftstores, LLC, along with its patrons, raised and donated more than $4,800 to Angel Flight of New England.
