PI business leaders join hospital board

7 years ago

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine —  Two Presque Isle business and community leaders were recently selected to serve on the Board of Trustees for The Aroostook Medical Center.  

Jane Towle and Scott Violette are the newest members of the hospital’s governing body.

“Our TAMC Board is an engaged group of business, community, and healthcare leaders, who bring a varied and diverse set of skills and experience in support of our governance and fiduciary responsibilities to the TAMC organization,” said Steven St. Pierre, board chair.  

Towle is the owner and designated broker of RE/MAX Central.  She has extensive experience serving on education, foundation and volunteer boards.  She is a past president of the Presque Isle Rotary Club, a member of both the University of Maine at Presque Isle and Northern Maine Community College Foundation boards, a member of the Aroostook Board of the Maine Community Foundation, a board member of Aroostook Aspirations and a member of the Broker Idea Exchange Council of the National Association of Realtors.  

Towle served as event director for the 2016 World Cup Biathlon and the 2014 Junior World Championship Biathlon that took place at the Nordic Heritage Sports Center in Presque Isle.

“Jane has a proven ability to lead and a sense of duty to give back through service, both traits I admire and that will serve TAMC well.  I think she understands the critical role TAMC plays in the region and will undertake decisions at the Board level with that in mind,” said TAMC President Gregory LaFrancois.

Violette leads the financial services team for Barresi Financial and is the senior financial adviser on staff.  He became a Certified Financial Planner in 2009. Born and raised in Presque Isle, he worked out of the area for a number of years as a store manager for Circuit City, working in five different stores in Maine and New Hampshire and achieving Leader of Excellence recognition four times in eight years. He moved back to Presque Isle 10 years ago to work at Barresi Financial, becoming a partner there in 2015.  Violette is also a partner in a commercial real estate development group.  

He is past president of the Presque Isle Rotary Club, was vice chair for the city’s Strategic Planning Committee, and served as the chair for Momentum Aroostook. He is on the board of the Presque Isle Country Club, the Presque Isle Downtown Revitalization Committee, the Mark and Emily Turner Foundation and the UMPI Board of Visitors.

“Scott’s financial expertise, as well as his management background, will be a valuable asset around the table as we discuss significant issues regarding TAMC and strategize for the future,” said LaFrancois.

St. Pierre, who is the vice president and business banker for Key Bank, NA, has been leading the board since 2016 after serving two years as vice chair.  He has worked closely with both TAMC and EMHS administration through the transition from the former hospital president through the addition of LaFrancois in November 2016.   

“Many of our current trustees have held past leadership roles on the board, and many serve representing TAMC at the EMHS system level, on various committees, as well as, on the EMHS full board.  This representation at the system level provides TAMC with a strong voice, and ensures and enhances our ability to access valuable resources from the System that bring real and positive benefits to the patients we serve here in northern Maine,” saod St. Pierre.  

Carol Bell of Presque Isle is the board’s vice chair, with Gene Lynch II of Presque Isle as immediate past board chair and current chair of the finance committee.  Other board members are: Richard Duncan of Presque Isle, Holly Johnson of Presque Isle, Alan Landeen of Stockholm, Lynn Lombard of Caribou, Barry McCrum of Mars Hill, Peter St. John of Winterville Plantation, along with TAMC/EMHS members LaFrancois; Dr. Sergio Lema, president of TAMC’s medical staff; Dr. David Weed; and Michelle Hood, president and CEO of EMHS.

“I am proud to serve with fellow trustees that volunteer their time and talent to meet the mission of TAMC to restore, maintain, and improve the health of our friends and neighbors in a compassionate and professional environment,” said St. Pierre.  “Our communities and our people here in northern Maine are well served by the robust, comprehensive, and high quality healthcare services being delivered here close to home by TAMC, as well as by the other surrounding hospitals, healthcare clinics, and providers in the region.”