Community Impact Award

BANGOR – For the second year in a row, United Way of Eastern Maine awarded Bangor Savings Bank the prestigious Community Impact Award. Along with being United Way’s top corporate donor, the bank also partners with the organization and Clear Channel in the Acts of Kindness program. AOK encourages the donation of small everyday items to help others.

Bangor Savings Bank opens up its branches for those who wish to donate items such as toothbrushes, children’s books, winter wear and more. It’s no small task, considering that last year more than 10,000 toothbrushes, 4,000 children’s books and winter clothes for 500 families were collected.

Doug Jones, campaign chairman and president of Maine Coast Memorial Hospital said, “Bangor Savings Bank is a philanthropic force for our community. They are strategic and focused on creating lasting change. The Community Impact Award recognizes this amazing commitment.”

Architects, engineers

BANGOR – WBRC Architects-Engineers announced recently that 10 new employees have joined the firm – eight at the company’s Bangor office and two at its Lakewood Ranch, Fla., office.

A summer intern opportunity turned into a full-time position for Trevor Smith, architectural intern with WBRC’s renovation team, while pursuing an architecture degree from the University of Maine in Augusta. Smith’s current projects include drafting for Hannaford and Sheraton Four Points renovation projects.

WBRC’s land use studio welcomed Paul Monyok, a Pennsylvania State University engineering graduate. Monyok’s experience includes many aspects of civil engineering from highway design to estimating heavy highway projects and various site projects, including hospitals, schools, subdivisions and public service facilities. He holds certifications and soon will be a registered professional engineer.

Anna Faloon, a University of Maine engineering graduate, is joining the firm as a civil engineering intern after two summers as a WBRC student intern.

The WBRC structural engineering department has increased its staff with interns Brett Bedard, a UM graduate with previous experience in steel fabrication from Cives Steel Co. in Augusta; and Adam Barber, a UM engineering student with experience as a student research assistant at UM’s Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center. Barber’s current projects include Penn National Gaming, University College of Bangor’s Camden Hall, Penobscot County Courthouse and Bar Harbor Banking and Trust.

The WBRC’s education studio has three new team members, including Tyler Johnson, architectural technician, who holds a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology. Experienced in facilities management while employed with Gillette-P&G in South Boston, Johnson has background in drafting, model building and computer modeling and was put to work on the Husson Meeting House and Peninsula Elementary School projects.

Tony Bavelaar, architectural CAD technician, joins the studio to work on Penobscot Valley High School renovations. His work experience includes two years for JSI Store Fixtures while earning an associate’s degree in electronics and computer technology from Kennebec Valley Community College.

The studio’s newest addition to staff is Chris Shea, CAD technician and Eastern Maine Community College student working toward an associate’s degree in CAD design. He plans to continue his education at the University of Maine at Augusta for a bachelor’s degree in architecture.

Doug Whitney and the Gulf Coast Region Team, Lakewood Ranch, Fla., welcomed Jill Sieber, who has won design awards in RSAD sustainable design, the R.B. Thompson National Lighting Competition and the Best of Ringling School of Art Design’s award in the wellness center category. She has a bachelor’s degree in interior design from Sarasota’s Ringling School of Art Design.

The Florida team also added Kris Pelow, CAD technician, who holds a degree from New York Institute of Technology. She is experienced in high-end residential development.

Bank branch manager

BUCKSPORT – Bangor Savings Bank announced that Jeremy A. Daigle of Bucksport has joined the bank as branch manager in the Bucksport office.

Before joining the bank, Daigle worked in the financial services industry in various capacities including sales, customer marketing, customer service, retention, collections and as a senior credit analyst in credit acquisition. He also served as a mortgage loan manager and mortgage loan originator-loan officer.

Daigle has a bachelor’s degree in business and public administration from the University of Maine, and is a graduate of Bucksport High School.

Active in his community, Daigle is chairman of the town of Bucksport zoning board of appeals and a volunteer for United Way of Eastern Maine.

Have a Heart for Hunger

Hannaford Bros. Co. kicked off its annual campaign on Feb. 4. The program is designed to help provide hunger relief to organizations in five states. Shoppers at Hannaford stores in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and Massachusetts will have an opportunity to contribute to the campaign. The program, now in its fourth year, has raised more than $255,000 for America’s Second Harvest agencies since its inception.

Under the terms of the program that runs until Saturday, March 3, customers can make donations a part of their food bills. Stores will have donation coupons available at all registers in $2 and $5 denominations. Customers also will have the option of choosing a coupon that allows them to donate money in any denomination. All funds raised are donated to local food banks and dispersed based on store location and food bank service areas.

In Maine, the Good Shepherd Food Bank and Wayside Soup Kitchen are participating in the Have a Heart for Hunger program.

Martial arts

BANGOR – Premier Taekwando, owned by Ki Y. Hwang, who holds a fourth-degree black belt, has opened at Intown Plaza, 346 Harlow St. Hwang is a World Taekwando Federation certified instructor and USA Taekwando certified coach with extensive experience in the U.S. National Championship.

The school teaches Korean traditional and Olympic style Taekwondo and is open six days a week with classes providing frequent and individualized instruction for children and adults.

For more information, call the school at 942-5649 or visit www.premiertkd.net.