Postal Service honor

HAMPDEN – An employee from the United States Postal Service District of Maine was honored recently at a special luncheon for Postal Service Leaders and Heroes in Freeport.

Rebecca Brillant of Orrington was recognized for outstanding contributions to the Postal Service and to the community. She was presented with a framed philatelic plaque engraved with her name in recognition of her achievements. The plaque featured the Wonder Woman stamp from the DC Comics Super Heroes series issued in 2006.

A directory analyst specialist, Brillant was nominated by fellow employee Barbara Plunkett, plant manager of the Eastern Maine Processing and Distribution Facility in Hampden.

Brillant was nominated for ongoing efforts to identify workplace efficiencies and suggest service improvements. Brillant has led the automation team, meeting regularly to solicit feedback from employees and supervisors. She shares that information and works to incorporate new ideas and develop improved automation plans.

Brillant also was nominated for being a personal hero. As a living kidney donor for her sister, Marsha, Brillant has found great joy in seeing her sister’s health improve. Brillant is involved in advocating for organ donation.

Brillant has been with the Postal Service for 21 years.

Small business expert

BANGOR – U.S. Cellular recently named Bob Gil as the company’s small business expert at its Bangor store at 33 Mid-Mall Blvd. Gil is one of 500 associates trained as part of the company’s small business team, which will focus on providing small businesses with the individual attention they require and cellular solutions that are specific to their business.

As Bangor’s small business expert, Gil will provide guidance to store associates and offer in-store analysis and solutions to meet the different needs of small businesses. Gil will work with companies to analyze their needs by conducting a Wireless Needs Analysis that will identify the services that are right for their business. He will provide recommendations on wireless plans, services and equipment, and will supply every small business with a written proposal outlining the specific recommendations.

After making a purchase, owners may schedule a time to return to the store to pick up and activate their phones and receive instructions and advice on how to utilize the various functions and services. To save business managers additional time, they may schedule dates and times for each employee to pick up and activate their own cell phones.

For more information, call (866) USC-4BIZ.

Marketing for BIA

BANGOR – Bangor International Airport Director Rebecca Hupp announced that Risteen Masters has been hired as marketing manager.

Masters has worked in the tourism and transportation industry for 14 years and brings a wealth of experience to the airport. The marketing manager is responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies and campaigns for the airport, and for conducting public relations and administrative functions.

“We are very pleased to have Risteen join our management team. I am confident her abilities and experience will allow us to take a proactive approach in this rapidly changing industry,” said Hupp.

Masters was for the director of marketing for Bay Ferries seven years, operators of high-speed ferry service from Bar Harbor and Portland. She had been executive director of the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce for six years. A Maine native and graduate of the University of Maine, Masters served several years as the chairwoman of DownEast Acadia Regional Tourism.

“The airport plays an important role in the economic vitality of the community and the region. I look forward to working with the team at Bangor and helping to continue the good work they have been doing,” Masters said.

Quality Assurance Award

BANGOR – Penquis Child Care Resource Development Center congratulated Tammy Tewhey of Tammy’s Loving Day Care in Glenburn for achieving national accreditation from the National Association of Family Child Care.

Tewhey and her husband Ron have owned and operated a licensed family child care business for 14 years.

Association accreditation helps providers reach quality improvement goals and helps parents and policymakers identify high-quality family child care.

Tammy’s Loving Day Care is the first licensed family child care in Penobscot County to become nationally accredited. The Tewheys spent 12 months completing the accreditation process with technical assistance from Maine Roads to Quality and Penquis Child Care Resource Development Center.

The association’s quality standards address relationships, environment, activities, developmental learning goals, safety and health, and professional and business practices.

The accreditation benefits the children who receive warm, nurturing care in a safe inviting space and parents who can count on responsive, stimulating child care, officials said. Businesses gain because stable, high quality child care improves employee attendance, morale and productivity.

The accreditation qualifies Tammy’s Loving Day Care to receive a Quality Certificate from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

Nutrition company conference

BREWER – Heidi Crane of Brewer, an independent distributor for Waiora, a nutrition company, attended the company’s national conference held March 8-10 in Orlando, Fla.

The conference marked the launch of the April issue of Your Business at Home magazine. The magazine profiles Waiora and provides articles from best-selling authors, including Robert Kiyosaki and Suze Orman.

Waiora’s mission is based on a healthy living and aging philosophy – eating well-balanced meals that include multiple servings of food high in fiber, exercising regularly and incorporating a nutritional regimen that addresses the problems of aging. For more information, call Heidi Crane at 852-2321.

Dog trainer certification

BANGOR – Dog trainer Kate Dutra of Green Acres Kennel Shop has earned Level I certification through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Dutra joins more than 1,000 Certified Pet Trainers throughout the United States and several countries.

The council’s program is the first national certification for dog trainers. Until the creation of the independently operated council in 2001, there was no nationally available certification process for dog trainers.

In order to develop a credible barometer for the dog-owning public to choose a trainer, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers initiated a process to develop a standardized dog trainer examination. The association is the largest dog trainer association in the world and promotes humane training practices. In conjunction with a task force of some 20 nationally known dog training professionals and behaviorists, the association developed the council’s certification examination.

Dutra has been teaching dog training classes at Green Acres Kennel since 1992, where she was kennel manager until 2002. Since then she has focused on training and assisting Green Acres co-owner Don Hanson with pet behavior consultations. Hanson and Becky Ruggiero also are certified trainers at the kennel.