Class of 1983 Winter 2022 Class Note

I hope everyone is having a good winter. 

Here’s some class news:

Linda Gould Nickerson joined the board of directors of the Maine Music Society. Linda is a senior administrative /executive assistant at Unum, and lives in Windham. Prior to Unum, she worked at Nalco Water for many years as business support manager and district and regional administrative sales support. She has also been involved with music for many years, both at her church and as a member of Portland’s Magic of Christmas Chorus.

Carl Bucciantini G, of Greene, became AARP Maine’s volunteer state president for a two-year term last winter. He has been an active AARP volunteer for five years, and he and his wife were awarded the 2021 AARP Maine Andrus Award. Carl taught elementary school for a decade at Maine SAD 46 before working as an elementary and middle school counselor in the Auburn School Department for 21 years. 

The Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries executive director Paul Anderson ’86G announced his plan to retire at the end of 2022 though he planned to continue his involvement as a volunteer. The organization combines “science, community, and policy” and often serves as a liaison between people who work in those fields. 

Don Oakes, CEO of Sea Bags, was named Mainebiz’s 2022 Large Company Business Leader of the Year. Don has led the Portland-based company for a decade. When he joined the company, 20 employees worked in a small factory. Today, more than 200 employees are part of the business, which has greatly expanded its manufacturing space and has 45 retail locations in 13 states, including nine locations in Maine.

There’s more, but we need someone to write the news for the class. Please contact abigail.zelz@maine.edu to learn how you can help your class with this twice-yearly column.