FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Maine’s Most Notable Commercial Development Projects to be Recognized on Wednesday
Bar Harbor, Lewiston, Portland, Kennebunk and Biddeford projects to receive awards from Maine Real Estate & Development Association

PORTLAND, Maine (May 17, 2013) – The Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA) will recognize the six most notable 2012 commercial development projects in Maine at its annual spring conference on Wednesday, May 22.

All of the projects being recognized embody MEREDA’s belief in responsible development; each was completed in 2012 and all are fully tenanted. Projects were selected based upon the following additional criteria:

• Environmentally sustainability
• Economic impact
• Energy efficiency
• Social impact
• Job creation
  x

Projects include:

• Bar Harbor: West Street Hotel by Ocean Properties, Ltd.
• Lewiston: The Lofts at Bates Mill by The Szanton Company
• Biddeford: Harold Alfond Forum by the University of New England
• Portland: Oak Street Lofts by Avesta Housing
• Kennebunk: Park Street School by Avesta Housing
• Biddeford: Emery School by Avesta Housing

Representatives from each of the above projects will be at the event to receive an award.

A backgrounder on each of the projects is available by contacting MEREDA.

For more information about the conference and to register, visit www.mereda.org.

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Bernstein Shur Attorney Honored by Business & Industry Association of NH
Karen S. Aframe Receives “Above and Beyond” Award for Work on Human Resources Committee

Manchester, NH and Portland and Augusta, ME (May 17, 2013) – Karen S. Aframe, leader of Bernstein Shur’s Manchester, New Hampshire Labor and Employment Practice Group, was honored with the Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire’s Above and Beyond Award, at an event held in Manchester.

The Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire serves as the statewide chamber of commerce. Working alongside the governor, legislators and state regulators, BIA develops and shapes pro-business public policy that fosters a strong state economy. The Above and Beyond Award was created to honor individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service and commitment to BIA’s mission and goals.

“The Above and Beyond Awards recognize those individuals who have gone the extra mile and demonstrated an extraordinary willingness and commitment to helping the organization be successful,” said Jim Roche, president of the Business and Industry Association.

Aframe, a labor and employment attorney, currently sits on the HR, Health Care and Workforce Development Committee and has been instrumental in revising the BIA employee handbook to ensure compliance with current law and best employment practices.

“Karen is a talented labor and employment attorney,” said Charles E. Miller, Bernstein Shur’s CEO. “We are proud to see her committing her time and expertise to improving the New Hampshire business climate.”

In addition to her service with BIA, Aframe represents the interests of management in all aspects of labor and employment law, including compliance with state and federal wage and hour laws and non-discrimination laws; she also represents clients before state and federal agencies. Aframe assists employers with best practices concerning the Affordable Care Act, social media, and other developing areas of the law. She is chair of the New Hampshire Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Section.

A resident of Hopkinton, New Hampshire, Aframe received her BA from Stanford University and her JD from Northeastern School of Law. Prior to attending law school, she worked at the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, and was awarded the Civil Rights Division Special Achievement Award.

About Bernstein Shur
Widely regarded as one of New England’s most entrepreneurial law firms, Bernstein Shur is a multi-service firm with more than 100 attorneys in offices in Maine and New Hampshire. Founded in 1915, the firm provides practical and innovative counsel in the areas of business law, litigation, and municipal law to clients throughout the region and around the world. Bernstein Shur is Maine’s exclusive member of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading association of independent law firms. More information is available at www.bernsteinshur.com.

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UNE and Apothecary by Design’s partnership furthers success of school, students and community

Portland, Maine – (May 16, 2013) Apothecary by Design Pharmacy is proud to announce it has hired Frank Jamison, a member of the University of New England’s College of Pharmacy inaugural class, as a full-time pharmacist.

Bringing Jamison onto the Apothecary by Design team is also an example of how UNE’s new pharmacy program and Apothecary by Design have partnered to expand the region’s educational and economic opportunities.

A Colorado native, Jamison came to UNE because of the exciting opportunities this new program offered.

“The appealing part of UNE was that it was a new program that focuses on research and community outreach,” said Jamison. “It really allowed us to be involved in shaping what UNE’s College of Pharmacy will be going forward.”

Apothecary by Design Principal Catherine Cloudman said they are looking forward to having Jamison join the company.

“He has been an energetic, competent, motivated and fun team member and has gotten exposure in all areas of our pharmacy from retail to compounding to specialty,” Cloudman said. “We are very excited about him joining the ABD team on a full-time basis.”

Jamison started at Apothecary by Design after he was selected to complete his internship rotation at the company. He later took a part-time position in 2010. Jamison said he was eager to work at Apothecary by Design not only because of the variety of services it offers, including nutraceuticals, compounding and specialty pharmacy services, but because of the level of care the pharmacy gives.

“They really focus on the patient’s specific care,” said Jamison. “It’s a very unique place to work. The people who work there gave me an idea of how pharmacy care should be done and how people should be practicing.”

Apothecary by Design has been a partner of the UNE College of Pharmacy program since its inception. The company has hosted more than 20 interns and Apothecary by Design pharmacists have lectured at the school. The pharmacy also has three to five UNE pharmacy students working part time with the company at any given time.

“We are offering a rich opportunity for pharmacy students that is an alternative to the chain pharmacy experience,” said Cloudman. “We provide tremendous exposure to a broad array of pharmacy services in an entrepreneurial environment.”

Apothecary by Design’s close relationship with UNE also benefits the community because it attracts top students to the community and keeps them in Maine past graduation, said Cloudman.

“These are good paying jobs at a local business in Portland and in Bayside, an area of economic development,” said Cloudman. “These types of collaboration between business and education are good for the overall economic development of Portland.”

Apothecary by Design is a locally-owned full-service pharmacy that offers retail prescription services, pharmaceutical compounding, specialty pharmacy services, quality nutraceuticals and information about disease management and nutritional health and well-being.

Located in the Bayside neighborhood of Portland, Apothecary By Design opened its doors during a tough economy in 2008. Since then, it has grown to two locations and today has about 50 full-time employees.

Learn more: www.apothecarybydesign.com

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Email: david@homeandaway.biz                                      Web:  www.homeandaway.biz

Kennebunkport, Maine; May 16, 2013

Home & Away Gallery in Kennebunkport will host Jeremy Frey on Saturday, May 18, 11 AM to 5 PM. Basket making demonstrations throughout the day; slideshow at 1:30 PM

Sometimes a tradition that is hundreds of years old is shaken up by one newcomer. Such is the case with Passamaquoddy basket maker Jeremy Frey. His ancestors, along with people from the Penobscot, Micmac and Maliseet tribes, have been making baskets for hundreds of years. Frey’s baskets have elevated this craft to an art form that has been recognized by his peers as well as by judges at the Santa Fe Indian Market as the best in the Native American art world.

Frey’s baskets exhibit an exceptional mastery of weaving skills. More importantly, though, they exude an exceptional aesthetic sense. People are drawn to his baskets because they are breathtakingly beautiful. Frey combines form, pattern, and color into exquisite vessels are worthy of any museum collection. Seeing his baskets in person  is a moving experience, not only for basket collectors, but for anyone who likes being in the presence of masterful objects of art.

In 2011, Jeremy Frey was the first basket maker to win Best of Show at the Santa Fe Indian Market, the most prestigious gathering of Native American artists in the U.S. He was also awarded Best of Show at the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market, making him the second artist to win both awards in the same year. His work has been in a traveling exhibit with New York’s Museum of Arts & Design, and has continued to win awards through 2013.

For much of their history, baskets made by Maine Indians were utilitarian: heavy and durable. Once tourists began traveling to Maine’s seaside resorts, astute weavers, primarily women, began making fancy baskets with a lighter, more graceful aesthetic. Fancy baskets were designed to hold handkerchiefs and sewing kits, rather than potatoes and camping gear.

Fancy basket makers kept the tradition alive long after the heyday of rail and horse travel to Bar Harbor, Kennebunkport, and similar towns. Beginning in the 1990′s, the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance  began the important work of matching master basket makers with younger folks in their community who was willing to learn how to weave ash and sweetgrass into baskets.

Jeremy Frey was one of many beneficiaries of this effort. While some of his training was provided by his mother, Frances (Gal) Frey, he also got a boost from a training program sponsored by the Alliance. Jeremy is grateful for this opportunity. He gives back to the community by helping others to learn the intricacies of weaving, so they, too, can keep their people’s traditions evolving well into the 21st century.

Frey will be at Home & Away Gallery from 11 AM to 5 PM on Saturday, May 18. He will be demonstrating basket weaving throughout the day, and will give a slide show at 1:30 PM. Seating is limited for the slide show; RSVP is required. Contact David Shultz at 207 967-2122, or david@homeandaway.biz.

About Home &Away Gallery:

Home & Away Gallery, located in Kennebunkport, Maine offers an uncommon and exceptional selection of Inuit art from Canada; Eskimo and other native arts and jewelry from Alaska and the Northwest; and Indian art and jewelry from Maine and the Southwest. Owners Ann and David Shultz represent living artists who honor their cultural traditions.  They delight in the work of artists whose vision allows them to step beyond tradition into unexplored territory, continuing the evolution of their culture’s artwork that has taken place over hundreds or even thousands of years.

Media Contact: Connie Pacillo
Tel: 207.712.6543
Email: connie.pacillo@creativecontentpartners.com

                        
Westbrook, Maine, May 16, 2013 – Mission Possible Teen Center, an after-school drop in space for youth, 10-18, located in Westbrook, Maine today announced it is celebrating its 15-year anniversary with a refreshed logo and a new name: My Place Teen Center (MPTC). The logo and name are designed to work together to communicate the organization’s mission to teens, while establishing an easily identifiable visual element for current and future supporters.

“Throughout our last 15 years, we, as a community, achieved the goal of establishing a safe, after-school space with great programing for our teens,” said Donna Dwyer, MPTC executive director, “Moving forward, we needed a name and strong visual identity that made it clear to everyone: our teens and to our supporters, who MPTC is and the fantastic future we have in front of us.”

For consistency, the center’s new name has the same acronym as its former moniker and includes input from the teens. “We chose My Place Teen Center in part because our teens often refer to the center as my place to chill, my place to be safe, my place to hang out with friends,” Dwyer said. “This truly is their place and it also helps set us apart from the variety of other mission possible entities across the country with which we have no affiliation.”

The new logo references the center’s well-established entrance. “Everyone at MPTC: staff, volunteers and teens mention our red doors whenever we talk about the center,” Dwyer said. “The doors are a beacon, a sort of harbinger of hope and the kids know that we offer a safe and supportive community on the other side.”

The new logo will include a celebratory anniversary banner from May 16, 2013 to May 16, 2014.

“It is an honor to do the work that we do,” said Dwyer, “We are driven to respond to the urgent need to get kids to stay in school, yearn for something beyond their present moment, and to laud social responsibility as tantamount to our mission.

MPTC opened its doors May 16, 1998 in Westbrook’s Dana Warp Mill. In 2004, due to a lack of space, the center relocated to 755 Main Street, Westbrook and resides in that space today.

My Place Teen Center (MPTC) is an after-school program for youth ages 10-18. MPTC offers multi-purpose, academically enriching, life-skills enhancing programs and has been the focal point of Westbrook’s teen activities since its inception in 1998.

A safe and fun haven, MPTC provides complete, healthy nightly dinners and sustains youth with comfort, resources and hope. MPTC’s goal is to help youths develop the academic, job readiness and life skills necessary to lead independent adult lives filled with stewardship, courage, passion and joy.

MPTC offers a structured, supervised curriculum and provides daily programming that includes service learning, mentoring, homework assistance, physical fitness, arts and crafts, cooking, nutrition and also has an onsite Technology Learning Lab.

Stats: For 2012-2013: MPTC serves 40-70 kids/day and prepares more than 14,000 meals.

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Portland, Maine, May 15, 2013 – Shamus Alley, creative director and partner at Creative Content Partners, LLC (CC:P), an integrated marketing, communications, design, digital and event marketing agency, today debuted his new animated music video “Back Around” – An Ode to Portland, ME. Alley created the four-minute animated short upon his return to Portland after several years spent living out of state and working at ad agencies in Manhattan, NY, Los Angeles, CA and Santa Fe, NM.

“Portland, Maine is completely unique,” Alley said, “There’s an abundance of creative energy coupled with a rich sense of history. I’ve lived in other cities, but have always considered Portland my home.”

A 1997 Maine College of Art (MECA) graduate, Alley also wrote and performed the song for the video. “It was a labor of love,” he said, “I was finally back in Maine, and I found myself sketching some of my favorite places. Before I really knew what was happening, I started stringing them together. The result was a wildly abstracted geography of landmarks.”

To promote the short, CC:P created posters using Quick Response (QR) codes and screen grabs from the video. The flyers were then posted at each of the iconic downtown locations. People can scan the QR code with their smart phone or iPad and load the video instantly to their personal device.

Creative Content Partners specializes in branding, marketing and interactive design. Alley believes that the video fits seamlessly into CC:P’s current client work. “We come at each project from a creative perspective, I used the same approach when I started this music video.”

To view the video go to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYy553IWv6o

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 May 15, 2013

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Janine Bisaillon-Cary, President, 207-541-7412, Jbcary@mitc.com

Wade Merritt, Vice President, 207-541-7408, merritt@mitc.com

Harvard Business School Professor and Global Marketing Expert, Dr. John Quelch, to Keynote Maine International Trade Day

Portland, Maine – Maine International Trade Center (MITC) announced today that Harvard Business School Professor and Global Marketing Expert Dr. John Quelch will present the keynote address at Maine International Trade Day on May 31, 2013.

Prior to his return at Harvard Business School, Dr. Quelch served as the Vice President of China Europe International Business School in Shanghai. His case studies have sold over 4 million copies, third highest in Harvard Business School history. He is the author of numerous books including his latest publication, All Business is Local.

“I’m excited to be a part of MITC’s annual event, which is the largest in northern New England,” Quelch noted. “Maine’s history as a center of international trade dates back to the colonial era and, as the US state closest to Europe, it is well-positioned to increase its exports. Further, Maine has many nascent and well-established companies with innovative products to sell abroad.”

According to the U.S. Dept. of Commerce companies that export grow faster, pay higher wages, and are more profitable than those that do not. Exports are critical to manufacturers, representing 27% of all employment in the manufacturing sector, and exports play a crucial role in productivity gains that increase standards of living.

Revenue growth for exporting manufacturers was 37% from 2005-2009; non-exporters saw a revenue decline of 7% over that same period.

Attend this year’s Maine International Trade Center – Trade Day on May 31^st to learn more about international trade business opportunities and network with other professionals.

For more information on Maine International Trade Day, visit: www.mitc.com.

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For immediate release:

Contact: Laura Collins

Telephone: 205-942-3737

Email: collinsL@booksamillion

  Books-A-Million Author Signing Event with Khaled Hosseini

Portland, ME – (May 13, 2013) Books-A-Million, Inc. (Nasdaq/NM: BAMM) announced today that Khaled Hosseini, New York Times bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, will be releasing his much-awaited third novel, And the Mountains Echoed on May 21, 2013. Khaled Hosseini will be at the Books-A-Million, South Portland store on May 25, 2013 at noon. He will be on stage in conversation with Gregg Lagerquist, Co-Anchor at WGME – Channel 13 News, answering audience questions, followed by a book signing.

“I am forever drawn to family as a recurring central theme of my writing,” says Hosseini.  “My earlier novels were at heart tales of fatherhood and motherhood.  My new novel is a multi-generational family story as well, this time revolving around brothers and sisters, and the ways in which they love, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for each other.  I am thrilled at the chance to share this book with my readers.”

And the Mountains Echoed is about finding a lost piece of yourself in someone else. It’s about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations. In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most. From Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—this story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

“Books-A-Million is honored to have Mr. Hosseini visit our South Portland store to sign his new book and share with us his experiences and humanitarian efforts taking place within The Khaled Hosseini Foundation. The event will be enlightening and captivating to all who attend,” said Sara Starcher, General Manager of Books-A-Million.

Reserve your copy of And the Mountains Echoed and ask for a free ticket to attend the conversation, Q&A and book signing at Books-A-Million. The novel is available on May 21, 2013. For more information about the May 25^th event please contact Books-A-Million at 207-253-5587.

Follow Hosseini’s book tour at #KhaledHosseini or @riverheadbooks. Learn more about his nonprofit foundation that provides humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan @tkhf or online at www.khaledhosseinifoundation.org.

About Books-A-Million, Inc.

Books-A-Million, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading book retailers and sells on the Internet at www.booksamillion.com. The Company presently operates over 252 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia. The Company operates large superstores under the names Books-A-Million (BAM!), Books & Co. and 2nd & Charles and traditional bookstores operating under the names Bookland and Books-A-Million. The common stock of Books-A-Million, Inc. is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol BAMM. For more information, visit the Company’s corporate website at www.booksamillioninc.com.

Follow Books-A-Million on Twitter (www.twitter.com/booksamillion) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/booksamillion).

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Contact:
Gillian Britt, 207-775-2126
gBritt PR

Therese Myers, 518-269-2768
therese_myers@keybank.com

KEY MEDIA NEWSROOM:  www.key.com/newsroom

250 to serve in Maine
“Neighbors Make the Difference Day” is Hallmark of ?Company’s Civic-Minded Workforce

PORTLAND, Maine, May 14, 2013 – More than half of the employees of KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) nationwide will participate in the company’s 23rd annual day of volunteer community service on Wednesday, May 22. Key staff will spend the afternoon volunteering for a wide array of community service projects in neighborhoods across the nation. Two-thirds of branches will be closed for the event, but customers may still use local ATMs, online banking and mobile access.

In Maine, more than 250 KeyBank employees will leave their desks and head out to more than 50 projects across the state. “We believe it’s our responsibility to give back to communities throughout the state,” notes Sterling Kozlowski, president, New England district, KeyBank. “That’s why so many of our employees are going to be out in local communities helping our neighbors. This is the 23rd year we’ve done this; it’s an important element of our philanthropic investment, which is also demonstrated through our financial education opportunities and workforce development programs. We are dedicated to making Maine a better place to live.”

While many of KeyBank’s branches in Maine will close at noon, certain locations will remain open. As always, customers will have access to ATMs. For more information, call 1.800.Key2YOU. 

Neighbors Day began in Alaska in 1991, when a group of employees volunteered for an array of service projects in their communities. The idea swept across the bank, where this year employees will donate an expected 30,000 hours, worth approximately $900,000.

Over the 22-year history of Neighbors Day, employees have given more than half a million volunteer hours to their communities.

One of the leading organized corporate volunteerism efforts in America, Neighbors Make the Difference Day is the signature piece in Key’s year-round philanthropic investment in its communities.  Each project is an extension of the company’s commitment to strengthening the quality of life in the communities where its employees live and work. 

About Neighbors Make the Difference Day
KeyBank established Neighbors Make a Difference Day in 1991. In 1993, the company rolled out Neighbors Day nationally as a means of enhancing the quality of life in the communities where its 15,500 employees live and work.  While approximately two-thirds of KeyBank branches close at noon on Neighbors Day, certain locations will remain open. As always, customers will have access to ATMs, as well as online and mobile banking.  For more information, call 1.800.Key2YOU.  For details about Neighbors Day and KeyBank’s commitment to volunteerism, visit www.key.com/community.

About KeyBank ?KeyCorp traces its roots back more than 180 years ago and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. One of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, Key has assets of approximately $87 billion. The New England District stretches from Presque Isle, Maine, to Brattleboro, Vt., and has 74 branches, 121 ATMs and approximately 530 employees.

Key provides deposit, lending, cash management and investment services to individuals and small businesses in 14 states under the name of KeyBank N.A. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name.

For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.
 
# # #
 
Note to Editors: For up-to-date company information, media contacts and facts and figures about Key lines of business, visit http://Key.com/newsroom to view our Media Newsroom.

The following KeyBank branches will remain open:
Augusta, Whitten Road Drive-up
Bangor Mid Mall Lobby & Drive-up
Belfast Drive-up
Biddeford Drive-up
Boothbay Meadow Drive-up
Caribou Drive-up
Falmouth Drive-up
Fort Kent Drive-up
Great Falls, Auburn Drive-up
Houlton Lobby & Drive Up
Kittery Drive-up
Lincoln Drive-up
Newport Drive-up
North Windham Drive-up
Portland, Forest Avenue Drive-up
Presque Isle North St. Drive-up
Rockland Drive-up
Scarborough Drive-up
South Portland, Mill Creek Drive-up
Waterville KMD Lobby & Drive-up

New Partnership Helps Families Caring for Elderly Parents
Focus on seniors who can no longer live safely at home

Portland, Maine (May 14, 2013) — The stress of trying to provide the best and most appropriate care for an elderly loved one can be overwhelming. Especially challenging is realizing that living at home is no longer the safest option, but not knowing where or how to find a better living situation. Two Portland-area companies — Advantage Home Care and Beach Glass Transitions — have joined forces to help families get through this tough, confusing and emotional time.

Rich Blumenthal, president and founder of Advantage Home Care, provides a variety of home care services for seniors. “Nearly one-third of my clients have moved from their homes to assisted living or long term care communities,” says Blumenthal. “When asked for help, I often referred them to Beach Glass Transitions, with excellent results. Most clients didn’t ask and struggled on their own, so we decided to partner with Beach Glass and include its personalized transition assistance as another service we can provide our families.”

Lynn Peel created Beach Glass Transitions to help families caring for elderly loved ones develop personalized care and transition plans. “Every single person I see says I don’t know where to start,” explains Peel. “Even if they’re three-quarters of the way through, they don’t know. We literally hold their hand and say, ‘This is the first thing we have to do, this is the second thing.’ We help them figure out the very best senior care choices and if needed, we do the work for them.”

For more information about the new partnership between Advantage Home Care and Beach Glass Transitions and how it might help your family, contact:
Rich Blumenthal, 207.699.2570 or rblumenthal@advantagehomecaremaine.com
Lynn Peel, 207.272.2797 or lpeel@beachglasstransitions.com.

Advantage Home Care, founded in 2008, is a state registered personal care services company that provides in-home, non-medical care services including companionship, transportation and errands, housekeeping, meal planning/preparation, medication reminders and assistance with personal care. The company also specializes in working with clients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Advantage Home Care is located at 550 Forest Avenue, Suite 206, Portland, Maine 04101.

Beach Glass Transitions, also founded in 2008, is a Senior Care Advising Company offering full-service solutions to elder care needs, including transition assistance. Services are provided throughout Northern New England. Beach Glass Transitions is located at 72 Ocean Street, Suite 104, South Portland, Maine 04106.