Gift to children’s museum

BANGOR – The Maine Discovery Museum announced the donation of a new communication system courtesy of Oxford Networks.

The donation consists of a new internal phone system, phone service and Internet service. The new system will provide a much-needed upgrade to the museum’s communication structure, and will enable staff to better serve the many children, families and students who visit the museum.

“Maine Discovery Museum serves families from across the state of Maine and beyond, and Oxford Networks’ generous donation both improves our communications systems and allows us to allocate more of our dollars toward programming and exhibits,” said museum executive director Andrea Stark.

Matthew Jancovic, director of marketing and customer service for Oxford Networks, said the company was pleased to help out the museum when it learned of the telecommunications need.

“As a new business in the community we were introduced to the museum and all of the wonderful programs it provides to the state,” said Jancovic. “When we became aware that they needed an upgrade to the phone and Internet system, we were happy to help.”

The phone system upgrade was engineered, configured and deployed by Know Technology LLC, an independent information technologies firm with offices in Camden and Portland. Know Technology procured and deployed the comprehensive IP Telephony system at a much-reduced rate.

Maine Discovery Museum offers exhibits and interactive learning environments for children of all ages. It recently opened a major new exhibit, “Tradewinds,” which explores the surprising ways Maine is connected to countries and cultures around the globe.

Encouraging blood drives

To cap off its yearlong centennial celebration, Aubuchon Hardware, the oldest family-owned hardware chain in America, is partnering with the American Red Cross during November on the Thanks for Giving campaign to raise awareness about the constant need for blood and to support blood inventory.

Aubuchon is sponsoring Red Cross blood drives in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and New York, with a goal of collecting 10,000 units of blood.

Donors at Aubuchon-sponsored blood drives in November will receive a free gift and may enter to win one of two all-expense-paid trips to New York City to watch a Broadway play. In addition, those who donate blood at an American Red Cross fixed site in Bangor may enter a weekly raffle to win a $25 Aubuchon gift card.

Coffee News acquisition

BANGOR – William Buckley of Bangor, president of Coffee News USA Inc., announced the purchase of the parent company for the Coffee News franchise system, Manitoba Inc., located in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Buckley has operated the company under a management continuity agreement since March 1, 2006, when founder, Jean Daum became ill. Daum died on July 23, 2007.

The purchase includes all stock of the corporation from the estate of Jean Daum, the copyrights and trade dress of the publication, and all existing franchise agreements in force in 32 countries.

Manitoba Inc. will continue operations in Winnipeg where Coffee News has been publishing for 20 years.

In addition to Coffee News USA Inc. in Bangor, the newly acquired company maintains head offices in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain and Venezuela. Buckley also is a majority shareholder in Expresso Printing in Houlton.

Jean Daum found Coffee News in 1988. After placing a lunch order, out of boredom, Daum resorted to reading the information on a sugar packet. It dawned on her that restaurants were missing the boat by not providing patrons with something entertaining to read while they waited for food.

Coffee News has an estimated readership of more than 8 million each week, Buckley said.

Maine Community Foundation

Meredith H. Jones has been selected as the next president and chief executive officer of the Maine Community Foundation, succeeding Henry L.P. Schmelzer, who is retiring at the end of the year.

Jones currently is the foundation’s vice president for program development and grant making services. A member of the senior management team, Jones has been instrumental in the development of several initiatives, including the Maine Compact for Higher Education and the Environmental Funders Network.

Foundation board vice chairwoman Anne Jackson, who led the search committee, said, “Jones brings her considerable energy and broad perspective to our work, and her talents have been recognized throughout the state of Maine.”

Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Maine. Before joining the Maine Community Foundation in 1999, she was director of education and communication at the Maine Health Care Association, where she designed and managed professional development programs, serving 10,000 managers and direct-care providers.

Her time with the association was preceded by a lengthy tenure with the Maine Development Foundation, where she designed and led three major initiatives – the Economic Symposium, Leadership Maine and the Maine Coalition for Excellence in Education.

Jones is chairwoman of the board of trustees of the Maine Philanthropy Center and serves as a trustee of the Maine Campus Compact and member of the advisory committee of the Maine Policy Review.

Her past affiliations include service on the boards of the Maine Women’s Fund, United Way of Kennebec Valley, Winthrop School and Women’s Business Development Corp.

The selection was the culmination of an eight-month national search. Jones will assume her new position in Ellsworth in January.

Farm Service Agency

BANGOR – Valerie Porter, county executive director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency in Penobscot and Hancock counties, announced that the 2008 agency county committee elections have begun as ballots were mailed to eligible voters on Nov. 3. Monday, Dec. 1, is the deadline for eligible voters to return ballots to local farm agency offices.

To be eligible voters, farmers and ranchers must participate or cooperate in agency programs. A person who is not of legal voting age, but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm, may vote. Agricultural producers in each county submitted candidate names during the nomination period held last summer.