MEREDA Announces 2009 Award Winners

Feb 6, 2009 | Press Release

PORTLAND, Maine – Ray Cota, president of the Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA), has announced the 2009 winners of awards presented each year by the organization at its Annual Real Estate Forecast Conference. The conference was held this year on January 29 in Portland.

“Each year MEREDA is proud to recognize the individuals, businesses and organizations that have made a significant and lasting contribution to responsible real estate development in the state of Maine,” said Cota.

The awards and 2009 recipients are as follows:

  • The Robert B. Patterson, Jr. Founders’ Award, which recognizes a member who has contributed to the industry or to MEREDA on a significant level over many years, was presented to TD Banknorth for its steadfast and generous support of MEREDA activities and programs. Larry Wold, president of TD Banknorth in Maine, accepted the award on behalf of the bank.
  • The Volunteer of the Year Award, presented annually to an individual who has willingly and enthusiastically volunteered his or her time and energy to furthering MEREDA’s mission, was given to Richard A. Shinay of Scarborough, an attorney with the Portland law firm of Drummond Woodsum & MacMahon and an active member of MEREDA’s Legislative Committee.
  • The Public Policy Award, presented to an individual member whose efforts have made meaningful impact on public policy decisions for the benefit of the real estate industry in Maine, was given to Roxane Cole of Portland, a principal in Ram Harnden Commercial Real Estate Services, for her work on Portland’s Business Diversity Task Force.
  • The Presidents’ Award, a discretionary award given by MEREDA’s current president, was presented to board members Bill Shanahan and Jim Otis, both residents of    Scarborough. Shanahan is a vice president at Northern New England Housing Investment Fund in Portland and Otis is a founder the Otis | Atwell CPA firm in South Portland.

Founded in 1985, MEREDA is an organization of commercial real estate owners, developers and related service providers, whose mission is to promote an environment for responsible development and ownership of real estate throughout the State of Maine.