Banking promotions

BANGOR – Merrill Bank announced recent promotions at the bank’s 183 Main St. location:

. Holly Vetelino of Veazie, trust officer to vice president of trust and investments. She began her career at Merrill Bank in 1998 as an administrative assistant in the trust department and has received several promotions over the years. She is administrator for many account types, including individual, nonprofits and retirement plans. Vetelino has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Maine. Active in the community, she volunteers for the March of Dimes and the Pathfinders program.

. Rob Freese of Brewer, trust officer to assistant vice president in the trust and investments department. He joined Merrill Bank in June 2005 and was promoted to trust officer in 2006. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wheaton College and a master’s degree in business administration from the American Graduate School of Business. Active in the community, Freese is secretary of the Bangor Lions Club and treasurer of the Maine Forest and Logging Museum.

. Lucie Estabrook of Brewer to trust officer in the trust and investments department. Before joining Merrill Bank in 2006, she spent 12 years in the trust and estate administration group at Eaton Peabody law offices. She is working toward a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Husson College. Active in the community, Estabrook serves as a member of the Maine Women’s Fund Bangor steering committee and on the Spruce Run endowment committee. She is a member of BONES Beagles-New England, a beagle rescue organization where she provides foster care to beagles that have been rescued from neglectful and-or abusive situations.

Financing Your Future

Financing Your Future, a five-session workshop exploring attitudes toward and behaviors with money, will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m. starting Monday, Jan. 28, at Women, Work, and Community in Bangor. Classes are free and confidential. Registration is required by calling 262-7842, or 800-442-2092 for information.

Participants in the class will learn to become more comfortable with money, assess your current financial situation, learn basics of money management and set personal financial goals.

Assertiveness training

BANGOR – A free eight-session Assertiveness Training class will be offered 9 a.m.-noon Thursdays, starting Jan. 24, at Women, Work, and Community in Bangor.

Participants will learn to meet challenges at work and in personal life by developing effective communication skills. They will learn to practice techniques that allow for direct, open and honest communication while respecting the rights of others, and to handle barriers of fear and anger that block appropriate communication.

Registration is required beginning immediately. Call 262-7842 or 800-442-2092 for more information. Space in the class is limited.

Day spa and tanning

HAMPDEN – Linda Hughes-Averill has opened Apollo and Aphrodites’ Pantheon of Beauty, a day spa and tanning facility on Coldbrook Road across from Dysart’s convenience store.

The spa with a Greek and Roman theme offers services for hair, nails and face, as well as body massage and tanning. An on-site gift shop features Maine-made products as well as a private-label skin and hair care line.

Hughes-Averill, who has a degree in early childhood education, also owns Catch a Falling Star, a program providing services for children ages 3-5 who need developmental and other therapies.

Hughes-Averill said that the day spa and tanning service grew out of the interest she and her husband have in renovating buildings.

For information on Apollo and Aphrodites’ Pantheon of Beauty, call 945-0137.

Insurance agency promotion

BANGOR – HRH announced that Shawna M. McKay has been promoted to the position of professional liability account manager at the agency’s Bangor branch.

McKay joined the insurance agency as a commercial account specialist in 2002. She continued in that role until her recent promotion to account manager.

McKay received a property casualty producer license in 2004. In her current role, she manages the Lawyer’s Professional Liability Program for HRH’s Northern New England Division.

She has earned the highest authority level granted to an administrative underwriter by Westport Insurance Corp. due to her superb audit results for this program, officials said.