Androscoggin Bank Appoints Nine New Corporators in 2021

Androscoggin Bank is pleased to announce it appointed nine new Corporators at its 2021 Annual Meeting. As active leaders in their communities and areas of expertise, they bring valuable perspectives to the Bank’s economic and community initiatives. The new Corporators are Kate Adams, Renee Bernier, Todd Gagne, Lori Gile, Rebecca Hatfield, Jim Henry, Reza Jalali, Gael Karomba and Richard Veilleux.

Kate Adams

Kate is the Vice President of Aging Excellence LLC and since 2005 her company Sweatt Investments Inc. has owned three franchise locations of Aging Excellence. Aging Excellence is a non-medical, in-home care agency with eight offices in Maine and NH. With a focus on wellness and lifestyle, Aging Excellence’s mission is to keep seniors active and independent in their own home.

Renee Bernier

Renee has served as President and CEO of Ace Detective & Security Agency Inc. for over 40 years, offering guard service, traffic control, and private investigator services throughout Maine. She attended the University of Southern Maine and is an active member of the City of Lewiston Finance Committee.

Todd Gagne

Todd is President of Nason Mechanical Systems in Auburn and has been with the company since 2000. He’s a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Maine, holds a 3rd Class Steam Engineer’s License and is a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers.

Lori Gile

Lori manages the financial end of Auburn Concrete. She joined the company in 1998 and became a key contributor in developing the first of Auburn Concrete’s eight concrete plants, and taking an interest in the plant automation systems and back office responsibilities.

Rebecca Hatfield

Rebecca is Senior Vice President of Real Estate for Avesta Housing. She oversees the real estate development, construction services, and property management divisions. Prior to Avesta, Rebecca was a Senior Vice President at Citigroup, working in various roles within the commercial and corporate banks. She has over 15 years of experience in finance, with a focus on deal structuring, underwriting, credit risk analysis, portfolio management and completing real estate transactions. She serves as the Board Vice Chair and Loan Committee Chair for Genesis Community Loan Fund, and serves on the board of the Maine Real Estate and Development Association (MEREDA).

Jim Henry

Jim is the CEO and Co-Founder of Remington Street Properties, a commercial property management and development firm investing in mostly northern New England communities. Jim is also the CEO and board member of NEK Holdings, a start-up located in York County, Maine.

Reza Jalali

Reza is Executive Director of the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center, an immigrant-founded non-profit supporting New Mainers to start and expand businesses and help with workforce integration. He is an educator, having taught at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn, Gorham, and Portland campuses. He is the author of many books, including the upcoming Dear Maine, a book about Maine’s immigrants. He has served on the Greater Portland United Ways Diversity Cabinet, the Maine Humanities Council, the Maine Community Foundation, the Advisory Board of Unified Asian Communities, and the New England Arab American Organization.

Gael Karomba

Gael is a 2012 Master of Science graduate from Annamalai University, in India, who immigrated to the USA in 2013. Gael co- founded Happy Haven with his wife Amanda Karomba in 2018. Happy Haven provides direct support to Maine adults with intellectual disabilities. Gael works as a CFO consultant and is also a real estate investor. In 2020, Gael started Legacy Invest as a certified financial coach; Gael is an active member of the LA Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce where he facilitates and leads the Rising Immigrant Club; a club whose goal is to raise young immigrant professionals in Maine through mentorship and networking.

Richard Veilleux

Richard is Vice President and General Manager of Floor Systems, Inc. after graduating from the University of Maine at Orono, Rich worked as a process engineer for a chemical manufacturer in the semi-conductor industry. From there, he entered the floorcovering industry as a Territory Manager for Shaw Industries and eventually returned to the family business where he had worked throughout high school and college. Rich currently sits on the Board of Directors for the L/A Metro Chamber of Commerce.

"We are excited to welcome such a talented group of individuals who bring a wealth of insights and experience. They will have a significant, positive impact on our initiatives to better serve our clients and our communities."

Neil Kiely

President and CEO of Androscoggin Bank

Androscoggin Bank is a leading Maine community financial institution with a mission to enrich the lives of its clients, employees and local communities through trusted relationships. Headquartered in Lewiston, the Bank has been fiercely independent for 150 years. In 2021, Androscoggin Bank became a Certified B Corporation, joining only nine other banks nationally to meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability. The Bank has a unique workforce with a large number of leaders having previously owned a business. The team is eager to empower Maine’s consumers and small business owners to improve their financial lives and continue to fuel economic growth for the state. Androscoggin Bank is dedicated to helping Maine communities thrive and has invested more than $340,000 in philanthropic donations, grants and sponsorships throughout the state last year. Androscoggin Bank is Member FDIC.