About and Contact Us

Gary Levesque

1st Vice Chair
glevesque@ft.newyorklife.com

Gary Levesque grew up in Jay, Maine and earned his Bachelors L.S. from University of Maine, Orono. He’s a financial service professional with New York Life Insurance Co. and has worked there for 17 years. He currently serves as a board member of the Center for Grieving Children, Kennebec Valley Elks Club and is a Mason. He’s chair of the Mid-Maine Chamber Golf Committee and joined the board to create a better economic environment to attract businesses to the area as well as to help businesses that are already here to prosper and to be able to hire and retain more employees. Gary is married, has two children and enjoys golfing, skiing, and hunting.

Dan Bernier

2nd Vice Chair
dan@bernierlawoffice.com

My family has lived in Waterville for three (3) generations. I want to see the Waterville Area grow, prosper, and be an area with a high quality of life for future generations. Dan is past president of the Waterville Bar Association and a past member of the Maine State Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. Dan is Dedimus Justice, a member of the Waterville Housing Board, and Cubmaster for Cub Scout Pack 436. He practices law in Waterville where he lives with his wife and children.

Joy McKenna

Director At Large
joy.mckenna@mainegeneral.org

Growing up in Bangor, Joy developed a passion for volunteering and participated in a wide variety of activities in school and in the community. Her desire to work in all aspects of community improvement and personal empowerment led her to government. She served as a staff person in the U.S. Congress and for two health care-related nonprofits during her 10 years in Washington, D.C. Joy returned to Maine to join the communications office of Governor Baldacci. Since 2011, Joy has served at MaineGeneral Health, the largest private employer in the Kennebec Valley. She became director of Marketing & Communications in 2014.

Gary Zemrak

Treasurer
gzemrak@johnnyseeds.com

Gary Zemrak is the controller at Johnny’s Selected Seeds in Winslow. Before working at Johnny’s, he worked for the Morning Sentinel/Kennebec Journal for 30 years. Gary holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from the University of Maine, Orono. In the Chamber, Gary is on the Information Services Committee and serves as treasurer on the Executive Board.

Kimberly Lindlof

President & CEO
kimberly@midmainechamber.com

Kimberly began her role at the Mid-Maine Chamber in 1994 as Membership and Marketing Representative. She left the Chamber to pursue a career in advertising sales, and returned in 2001 as Chamber President & CEO. Kim is dedicated to developing the Chamber membership base which has grown from fewer than 400, to greater than 650 members today. She has lead efforts in developing new programs within the Chamber such as the Chamber Gift Certificate program, Business-to-Business Showcase, vastly raising attendance at events, and gaining financial stability for the organization.

David Roy

Past Chair
droy@kennebecsavings.com

Dave is the Vice President of Kennebec Savings Bank in Waterville. He holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from the University of Maine at Orono and is a graduate of the National School of Banking at Fairfield University. Dave chairs the Chamber’s Information Services Committee and serves on the Board’s Executive Committee. He is also a director, secretary and coach for the Central Maine youth Hockey Association.

Rick Whalen

gwhalen@investorscapital.com

Rick is part of the Choice Investment management team. Rick works with individuals, families and small businesses primarily in the central Maine region. He is a Waterville Elks Lodge member, Maine Association of Realtors Foundation board member and Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area member. Mr. Whalen resides in Skowhegan, Maine with his longtime companion Deborah Dow and his two stepchildren, Trever and Linsey. He enjoys spending summer weekends with his family at his camp on North Pond located in Mercer, Maine.

Tom Davis

tom@areyoureadytoparty.net

Tom owns Are You Ready to Party??. He attended University of Maine, Orono where he received his Civil Engineering Technology degree. He currently serves on the Inland Hospital Trustee Board, Community Benefit Co-Chair and Governance Committee Chair. He has been involved with the Chamber for close to 25 years in many roles.

Shawn Michaud

smichaud@cunninghamsecurity.com

Shawn is a Sales Representative at Seacoast Security. He currently serves on many boards including, Board of Director for Pen Bay Chamber of Commerce and multiple committees, Member of Waterville Elks, multiple committees Bangor Chamber of Commerce, Member Rock Coast Networkers. He has been involved with the Chamber for over 13 years.

Darlene Ratte

dratte@girihotels.com

Darlene Ratte has been the assistant general manager and director of human resources at the Best Western Plus for 40 years. She earned her Associates Degree from Husson College, and her Bachelors and MBA from Thomas College. She is member of promoting independence committee & member of the campaign cabinet of the The United Way. Co-chair of the education committee & chair of the education foundation committee of the Maine Innkeepers Association. In the Chamber, Darlene is on the Membership Committee, Ambassador Committee and Annual Awards Dinner chair. Is a member of the Central Maine Growth Council board.

Renee Hawthorne

rhawthorne@skowsavings.com

Renee Hawthorne has been the Branch Manager II at Skowhegan Savings Bank for 16 years now. She attended The New England School of Banking at Williams College. She is involved with the Waterville Rotary Club and the Kennebec Valley Board of Realtors Affiliate. In the Chamber, Renee is on the Membership Committee and on the Ambassador Committee.

Ken Hoehlein

khoehlein@fairpoint.net

Ken Hoehlein grew up in Franklin Square, New York He attended St. Louis University and earned his B.A. He works for FairPoint Communications as an account executive and has been there for 7 years. Ken is a past director of the Skowhegan Chamber of Commerce and was previously on the Membership committee with the Kennebec Valley Chamber. He’s a member of the Bass Fishing Advisory Committee for DIF&W, president of the Bangor Bass Club and a part time columnist for Northeast Sporting Journal. He’s on the Chamber’s Business Expansion & Retention committee.

Sabra Hayden

sireland@surette-realestate.com

Sabra Hayden has been with Century 21 Surette Real Estate as an Associate Broker for 5 years and works part time for the State of Maine, Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Sabra attended Maine State Academy of Hair Design and Maine Real Estate Training Academy. She was named Rookie of the Year 2011 by the Century 21 Maine Broker Council. She is in year 2 of a 3 year term on the Board of Directors for Hospice Volunteers of Waterville area and chair for 3 years of the Hospice Shamrock Shake Dance. Sabra has 3 sons, 2 daughter’s in-laws and 1 grandson. Sabra is engaged to Steve Hayden with a July 2017 wedding date planned. Sabra & Steve reside in Oakland with their dog Twinkhi and a Thomas College student.

Mary Carpinito

mary@amiciscucina.com

Mary Carpinito is the owner and manager of Amici’s Cucina, which opened in 2010. In addition to serving on the board of directors, Mary also works to plan Mid-Maine Chamber’s largest event on the Taste of Waterville planning committee. Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, she now resides in Winslow and has two children and two grandchildren. Mary looks forward to continuing her involvement with Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce and Waterville Main Street.

Beth Gibbs

gibbsb@thomas.edu

Beth Gibbs grew up in Caribou, Maine. She received her BS in Accounting from Husson College, her MBA from Thomas College and did her doctorate work at North Central University. Beth is the senior vice president of Financial Affairs at Thomas College and has worked there for 26 years. Beth is currently the Central Maine Growth Council’s treasurer, a Inland Hospital board member and has been involved with the Waterville Opera House Nominating Committee. Getting involved with the Chamber allows Beth to stay in touch with area businesses, promote the Chamber benefits and programs, partner on the business breakfasts bringing useful information to small business owners, chairs the business breakfast series committee and helps with the financial and the management of the organization.

Dr. Richard R. Hopper

president@kvcc.me.edu

Dr. Hopper has 31 years of professional experience in teaching, higher education administration, economics of education, and international development. His formal academic training is in economics (George Washington University), international affairs (Geneva, Switzerland), and education policy (Harvard University). In addition to a 15-year career at the World Bank as a Senior Education Specialist, he has managed US higher education programs abroad, assisted in the establishment of new universities abroad, and advised governments and individual institutions on investments, reforms, and labor market linkages.

Charlie Gaunce

chas@cmautogroup.net

Central Maine Motors Auto Group
54 Years in Automotive Retailing, Central Maine Motors, Inc. Chevrolet-Buick,Central Maine Chrysler- Dodge-Jeep,Central Maine Toyota-Scion
Director and Past Chairman of the Maine Automobile Dealers Association (MADA),Trustee of NADA Workers Compensation Trust,Member, Maine Motor Vehicle Franchise Board, Director of the National Automobile Dealers Association, Member, Waterville Rotary Club having served as Director and Past President, Honorary Trustee, Inland Hospital serving for 47 years as Board Chair, Director and on many committees. Past Chair, Inland Foundation.

Alison Paine

alison.paine@maine.edu

Alison came to work for GHM in the summer of 2014 as a recent graduate of the Risk Management Program at the University of Southern Maine. She also has a degree in business and marketing. Before coming to GHM, Alison worked for 12 years in retail management, where she developed her passion for customer service and problem solving. Alison works as a Commercial Lines account executive, working to find solutions to insurance questions and needs for current clients and new business. Alison’s passion for customer service and commitment to excellence drives her to learn about new risks that are emerging for her clients. She is currently working towards her Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation, as well as a designation in Cyber Liability.

Brandi Meisner

brandi@higginsandbolduc.com

Brandi, a native of Skowhegan, is a successful insurance producer at the Higgins & Bolduc Agency, Inc. in Oakland, where she provides her clients with personal and commercial lines insurance expertise that she has gained in her 10+ years in the insurance industry. After graduating from Skowhegan High School, Brandi went on to study locally, at Thomas College earning her BS in Business Management and MBA. Brandi serves as Vice-President of Main Street Skowhegan’s Board of Directors as well as Chair of the Wine, Beer & Food Tasting Committee for the Skowhegan Rotary Club. Brandi is also on the Mid-Maine Chamber’s Ambassador Committee, Awards Dinner Committee and is Chair of the Membership Committee.

Tonya Clark

tonya.clark@t-mobile.com

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Sara Barry

sbarry@emhs.org

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