Allen People

Wendy Byrd of Appleton has joined Allen Insurance and Financial as an account manager in the company’s insured benefits division.

Wendy Byrd

Byrd, a graduate of Lewiston High School and the University of Maine, is certified as a benefits account manager by the National Association of Health Insurance Underwriter (NAHU). She is based in Camden at our Chestnut Street office.
The NAHU Benefits Account Manager Certification provides account manager professionals with an understanding of the complex and critical role an account manager plays in the health and benefits arena.
“I enjoy working with clients as well as resolving unexpected issues,” said Byrd.
“I enjoy the challenge of learning something new every day.”
Outside of work Byrd enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with her son.

Stephanie Griffin

Midcoast Leadership Academy and the University of Maine Hutchinson Center have announced completion of the academy’s seventh program year and the July 2 graduation of 18 current and prospective community leaders. One of those graduates is Stephanie Griffin, ACSR, a member of the business insurance division at Allen Insurance and Financial.
Graduates this year were Alyssa Ames, practice manager at Waldo County General Hospital; Penson Bartlett, North Region manager, Jobs for Maine Graduates; Maggi Blue, freelance artist and designer/marketer; and Megan Brackett, finance director, Town of Rockport.
Also, Kristin Collins, operations director, Island Institute; Karla Doremus-Tranfield, global director, water treatment, Gulbrandsen Technologies; Kristin Flynn, owner, Kristin Flynn Photography and Ken Gross, assistant director, Camden Public Library.
Also, Jodie M. Heal, president, CPA, MAFM, Heal Accounting Solutions, PC; Abbie Leonard, harbormaster, town of Rockport; Amy Levine, library director, Rockland Public Library; Jake Miller, VP/branch manager, First National Bank; and Denise Pease, sales and marketing director, Quarry Hill.
Also, Wyatt Philbrook, vineyard and property manager, Cellardoor Winery; Lisa Phillips, AVP, banking center manager, Camden National Bank; Amy Smith, assistant director for academic and student services, Hutchinson Center; and Kim Wilson-Raymond, conference coordinator, Hutchinson Center.
Guest speaker at the graduation was Tom Peaco, executive director of Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce and a graduate of MLA 6.
Modeled after successful community leadership programs held throughout the country, MLA7 was run as a partnership between the University of Maine Hutchinson Center and Midcoast Leadership Academy. Guest faculty are drawn from academia, business, government, consulting and the nonprofit sector.

Holly Hill-Coombs

Holly Hill-Coombs,  an account manager assistant at Allen Insurance and Financial recently achieved the designation of Accredited Customer Service Representative in Commercial Lines from the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America.
Hill-Coombs also holds an ACSR designation in Personal Lines. She works in Allen Insurance and Financial’s Special Business Unit in Camden, serving a variety of business customers from around Maine.
The ACSR designation program was developed to recognize the contribution made to each customer by the service they are provided through independent insurance agencies such as Allen Insurance and Financial.

Sarah Ruef-Lindquist, JD, CTFA

Sarah Ruef-Lindquist of Camden has joined the financial services division of Allen Insurance and Financial.
Her focus on endowment building through planned giving, wealth management and estate planning with special attention to women’s planning needs results from her extensive background in non-profit management and fiduciary, legal and financial advisory roles. She will be based at the company’s office at 31 Chestnut Street in Camden.
Before joining Allen Insurance and Financial, Ruef-Lindquist spent more than four years as the CEO of the Maine Women’s Fund where she expanded grant-making and statewide engagement, and strengthened the Fund’s financial future, doubling the fund’s assets during her tenure.
A lawyer and former bank trust officer who holds the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor designation, Ruef-Lindquist has also worked with the Maine Community Foundation, Union Trust, Colby College, Pen Bay Healthcare Foundation and Planning for Good, a consulting firm she founded. She is a member of the Board of Trustees at Unity College and a member of the Board of Directors of the Maine Planned Giving Council.  She serves as acting chairman of Maine’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, to which she was appointed by the former Speaker of the House, Mark Eves.
“The addition of Sarah is a huge plus for Allen Insurance and Financial and for our clients. We’re fortunate to have such a seasoned professional join our team,” said Mike Pierce, agency president and head of the financial planning division.
Ruef-Lindquist lives in Camden with her husband. Outside of work, you can find her serving as a member of the National Ski Patrol at the Camden Snow Bowl, or tending to her backyard chickens. She is a member of West Bay Rotary.

Dan Bookham

Allen Insurance and Financial, a financial services, insurance and employee benefits company, has announced that Dan Bookham of Rockland has been appointed a vice president of the corporation by the board of directors.
Bookham joined the company’s business insurance division in September 2012 after four years as executive director of the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce. He was named Business Development Director in 2013. As vice president, Bookham will join the corporation’s board of directors.
Bookham holds the Accredited Adviser in Insurance designation and is a member of the International Association of Maritime & Port Executives.
In the community, Bookham serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the LifeFlight of Maine Foundation, on the boards of the Penobscot Bay YMCA and the New England Ocean Cluster technology incubator, and as a member of America’s Edge (a nationwide organization advocating for investment in early childhood development and education).
“This new position is a testament to Dan’s ability to get things done with energy and focus. We’re pleased to have him in this leadership role at our company and we look forward to the contributions he’ll make,” said Mike Pierce, president of Allen Insurance and Financial.