Dottie Chalmers Cutter, VP of Operations, Chalmers Insurance Group
Chair
Dottie is a 4^th Generation Owner of Chalmers Insurance Group. Daughter of Bill Chalmers, she is from Bridgton and is a 2003 graduate of Bowdoin College.  She joined the agency in 2005 and is a licensed Maine Property & Casualty Insurance Agent. Along with being an Agency Owner, Dottie is Vice President of Operations, overseeing 95 employees in the areas of commercial lines, personal lines, and agency assistance. Dottie has a passion for increasing awareness about insurance as a career in hopes of attracting more young professionals. She works with local area high schools and colleges to promote Project InVEST and is responsible for the establishment and recruitment of Chalmers’ successful Insurance Immersion Internship Program. Other interests include skiing, spinning on her Peloton bike, traveling, and spending time with her husband and three young children.

Lindsay Skilling, CEO, Gifford’s Ice Cream
Past Chair
Lindsay Skilling is a fifth-generation ice cream maker and CEO of Gifford’s Famous Ice Cream. With a staff of 45 year-round employees and sales of 2.2 million gallons of ice cream a year, Lindsay’s role includes oversight of operations, staff, five seasonal ice cream stands, and a thriving ice cream factory, which produces more than 100 flavors and distributes to hundreds of large and small retail locations from Maine to South Carolina. Lindsay received a business degree from Bryant University. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, hiking and snowmobiling with her husband and two young children.

Joseph A. Capozza III, President, Capozza Floor Covering Center                 

Vice Chair

Joe is President and part of the 3rd generation now managing Capozza Floor Covering Center.  He also oversees the operations of its Commercial Projects Division.  Joe graduated in 2005 from Bryant University with a BS in Business Administration.  From 2006-2009, he worked for Bentley Prince Street, a Commercial Carpet Manufacturer, as a Sales Representative in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.  In 2009, he joined the family business as a Commercial Project Estimator & Project Manager, he was named Vice President in 2014 and President in 2022.

Jacques Santucci, President , Opus Consulting

Treasurer

Jacques Santucci is the President of Opus Consulting, a business performance management firm based in Portland, ME. He also serves as the President of Nucleus One Consulting, a division of Opus Consulting, specializing in the legal cannabis industry. Jacques’s expertise lies within business strategy and management, new business ventures, due diligence, accounting, process improvement, financial systems, planning and analysis, and creating strong relationships with financing partners and major vendors, all with a cross-functional approach to innovation and performance. Jacques brings years of leadership experience in the entertainment, tourism, financial services, and technology industries.  Prior to founding Opus Consulting, Jacques worked at Ernst & Young and Universal Pictures in Paris, France as well as in charge of the US operation of an international yacht charter company and CFO of a Maine-based private lender. Jacques holds a degree from EDHEC School of Management in Lille, France with a concentration in Finance. He lives in Falmouth with his wife and two daughter.  A music fan, he also enjoys spending time skiing or on his motorcycle.

Deirdre Wadsworth, President, Hardypond Construction
Secretary
Deirdre began learning the construction trade in third grade when her father, founded Hardypond Construction. In 2006, after graduating with a BA in Economics from the University of Denver and completing a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA, Deirdre began working at Hardypond full-time. Deirdre took over as President in 2015. In addition, Deirdre has an MBA with a focus on Sustainability from Green Mountain College and is a LEED Accredited Professional. In her spare time, Deirdre volunteers on boards for several nonprofit organizations, is an avid skier and triathlete, and enjoys spending time with her family.

David Ciullo, CEO, CMA Career Management Associates
HR Liaison
David Ciullo is the CEO of Career Management Associates, www.cmacareer.com, a 27+ year New England HR services company. He is also a HR thought leader, speaker and emcee as well as the talk show host of the HR Power Hour national radio show HR Power Hour at www.hrpowerhour.com.  David currently serves as a Member of the Maine State Civil Service Appeals Board, President of HRASM (Human Resource Association of Southern Maine), and serves as Vice President and on the Board of Directors of NNEAPS (Northern New England Association of Personnel Services). Prior to CMA, David has over 25 years of experience as an executive for large retail corporations including American Eagle Outfitters, Pacific Sunwear, and Designs/Levi Strauss. David graduated from Norwich University with a BS degree in Business Administration, a minor in management, and had four years of ROTC in the Norwich Corp of Cadets. David is also certified in Creative Training Techniques, is an Eagle Scout, and a Black Belt in Tae-Kwon-Do. David enjoys giving back through donation of time to help students with their career goals.

Reuben Bell, President, Blue Elephant Events and Catering
Co-Founder of Blue Elephant Events and Catering, and co-owner and editor of Real Maine Weddings magazine, Reuben began his career in event management in the museum and publishing worlds in Philadelphia before returning to Maine to open Blue Elephant in 2007. He enjoys guiding his clients through the event planning process and helping create unique experiences for their guests. Reuben is a past chair of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce, the Marketing Director of the Maine chapter of NACE, and a board member of the Institute for Family Run Business and Victoria Mansion. To learn more about Reuben click here.

Joshua Ellis, Vice President, Clark Insurance
Founding Sponsor
Josh, a resident of Falmouth and a graduate of Ithaca College, is the development chair for the board of the American Red Cross Southern Maine chapter. He is active in the construction market and is involved with the Associated Builders and Contractors and CFMA. He has earned the certifications Construction Risk Insurance Specialist, AIC, and CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor). Josh is active in the Biddeford-Saco community; he graduated from Thornton Academy and works from the Saco office one day a week.

Shae-Li Fendler, Manager/Underwriting Analyst, MEMIC
Founding Sponsor
Shae-Li began her career in insurance when she joined MEMIC in 2013 after graduating from Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Shae-Li’s leadership as the manager of MEMIC’s Underwriting Analyst team has helped The MEMIC Group achieve its customer and agency service goals.  Shae-Li has earned her Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter and Workers’ Compensation Professional designations. She is currently continuing her education by pursing her master’s degree in Business Administration from Husson University.  Shae-Li was a Maine Insurance Agents Association (MIAA) Young Agents Committee Member for four years. She volunteers for the Special Olympics, United Way, Make-A-Wish, and Partners for World Health. She enjoys cooking, skiing, and learning to golf in her free time.

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Christopher Lynch, President, Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty
Originally from Andover, MA and a graduate of Bates College, Chris spent the first half of his working life on Wall Street.  At 31 years old, Chris became one of the youngest Managing Directors in his field.  Chris ultimately managed a 400-person team on three continents with revenues exceeding $500 million.  Moving to Maine at 40-years old with his young family, he tapped into his Wall Street brokerage experience to found Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty which is now Maine’s largest luxury property company.

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Paula Mahony, Founder, Words@Work
Paula has helped countless clients identify the key elements of their vision and brand, providing concept and direction for QVC, collectiblestoday.com, WebMD, Schiavi Home Builders, United Insurance, UNUM, and the Town of Falmouth. Sometimes, ideas take unique form like the Work for VNA Homehealth Hospice resulted in the award-winning Ask for VNA campaign. For the Town of Falmouth, she created Very Merry Falmouth – a three-day celebration attracting shoppers to Route One.  Paula is a board member of the Falmouth Cumberland Chamber and Dancing with the Dentists. She stays busy golfing, skiing, romping with her Black Lab and observing the behaviors of her millennial children. Her company was a 2017 MFBA finalist.

Jeffrey Messer, President, Messer Truck Equipment
In 2003, Jeffrey Messer, joined Messer Truck Equipment becoming the fourth generation in the family business. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in Ocean Engineering, Jeff served in the U.S. Navy for five years as a Surface Warfare Officer and Nuclear Power Engineer before returning to Maine and the family business. He has worked in various areas of the business, including service, parts, and sales, in an effort to learn the business from the ground-up. In 2008, he was named company president after his father’s untimely passing. He is active in the IFOB and participates in the CEO Central I and Next Gen Executive I group.

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Shauna Miller,  Vice President, TD Bank
Founding Sponsor
Shauna Miller is a Senior Commercial Lender and Vice President at TD Bank in Portland, Maine. Shauna’s expertise in small business and commercial financing is in line with the Institute’s mission of serving our growing community. Shauna provides exceptional service with proven business development, while focusing on what her customer wants and needs. Shauna lives in South Portland with her husband and two boys.

Randy Richard, President, Richard Brothers Financial Advisors

Founding Sponsor

Over the course of the past three decades, Randy has studied and applied the fine art of financial management to help families to create sound financial strategies to grow wealth and ensure financial security for current and future generations.  As founder and president of Richard Brothers, he is passionate about managing the firm’s clientinvestments and portfolio allocations. Randy is an MBA graduate from Suffolk University and has more than 30 years of experience in the banking and financial services industry, including senior management positions. Randy is a General Securities Principal and Registered Representative with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a former member of the Financial Planning Association as well as the Investment Management Consultants Association. He holds an insurance license in Maine and an Investment Advisory Representative license. Randy has been actively giving back through his involvement with Doctors Without Borders/MSF, The Home and several community non-profit organizations. He is a speaker and author of “Keeping Wealth in the Family.” In his spare time, he enjoys golfing, traveling, health & fitness, fly fishing and spending time with his family. He has a long history with the IFOB (over 15 years) when their company was nominated for the 2005 Gannett Family Business of the year award.

Christopher R. Smith, Partner, Verrill 
Founding Sponsor
Chris Smith is a partner in Verrill's Corporate Governance, M&A and Securities practice group in Portland.  Chris serves as counsel to individuals and family-owned businesses, as well as other business and nonprofit clients, representing them in mergers and acquisitions, board governance, shareholder relations, and other compliance and transactional matters.  A former chair of the Business Law Section of the Maine State Bar Association, Chris also has served on the boards of several area organizations, including Waynflete School, an independent day school in Portland. To learn more about Chris and his practice click here.

Katie Rooks, Charitable and Community Relations Manager, M&T Bank 

As Charitable and Community Relations manager, Katie works to support Maine organizations. Katie's previous job experience was a Relationship Manager Business Deposits at Northeast Bank and seventeen years in non-profit raising funds for the American Heart Association’s research, educational programs and advocacy. For hobbies and fun – reading, hiking, water activities plus alpine and Nordic skiing in the winter with her two boys and husband fill any remaining free time. 

Lydia Swann, The Roux Institute at Northeastern University, Graduate Student
Lydia Swann is currently pursuing her M.S. in Project Management at the Roux Institute at Northeastern University in Portland. Before beginning her graduate degree program, she served as the Business & Community Liaison at People's United Bank. She has over 10 years of business development, strategic planning, and community relations experience across several industries including nonprofit, higher education, and banking. Lydia co-founded the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Maine in 2015 and is an alum of Emerge Maine. Lydia earned her BA from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. In her spare time, Lydia enjoys cooking (Italian and Peruvian food are two of her favorites), traveling (to Los Angeles most of all, where her in-laws live), and spending time with family (especially exploring the outdoors or eating all the food they cook!).

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Linda Varrell, Founder, Broadreach Public Relations 
Nationally accredited in public relations, Linda Varrell founded Broadreach Public Relations in 2006 as a way to help businesses and organizations raise their profiles. A 25-year veteran of the financial services industry, Linda has a track record of initiating and leading high-impact growth and improvement strategies for diverse organizations and has demonstrated her expertise in strategic planning, brand development, media relations, community and employee relations, crisis communication and project management. Linda holds a master’s of science in organizational leadership and often speaks at c-level events. She is active in the community and serves as the Chair of USM Corporate Partners and President of the Maine Public Relations Council and is on the board of the Maine Press Association. She recently started a new company, WordLab, a nationally recognized apprenticeship program providing communication and PR services to small businesses and nonprofits.