Director at Waldron Group of Companies Tapped to Lead South Portland Golf Club

Joseph Bruno named president of Sable Oaks Golf Club and Development Co.

11/07/2001

Joseph Bruno, a director with the Waldron Group of Companies, has been named president of the Sable Oaks Golf Club and Development Co. in South Portland.

Bruno is responsible for the management of the property and will institute and oversee long-term growth plans at Sable Oaks, an 18-hole par 70 championship course considered among the finest in Maine. The facility includes a full service pro shop, restaurant, lounge, function area and putting green.

"Golf is a passion of mine and so is business management, so I view this as a perfect fit," said Bruno, who is a member of the National Golf Course Owners Association. "The golf community will be pleased to know that we are already making a number of investments to the course that will improve play. Chief among them is a number of new tee boxes. We also are concentrating on ways to keep our rates at 2001 levels for 2002."

Bruno also will oversee the development of six lots on 33 acres, which are available for commercial office space and parking in a fast-growing area of South Portland.

A resident of Raymond, Bruno was named president of the Augusta-based GHS Data Management, formerly Goold Health Systems, in 1995, a position he holds in addition to his expanded responsibilities with Sable Oaks Golf Club and Development Co. He also is president of Community Pharmacies, a statewide group of 12 pharmacies that is one of the fastest growing in New England. Sable Oaks, GHS and Community Pharmacies are all part of The Waldron Group of Companies, headquartered in Falmouth.

Bruno also is the state representative for Raymond and part of Windham, and is a leader in the Maine House of Representatives. A licensed pharmacist, Bruno received a bachelor's degree at Northeastern University in Boston and a master's degree at the University of Southern Maine in Portland. He is a member of the Maine Pharmacy Association and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores.

GHS Data Management, Inc. manages, tracks, assesses and archives data for businesses, health care and state government, using a number of unique technologies in its delivery of services. Services include GHS/Rx, a prescription drug program for companies with self-insured medical benefits; data card production services; and extensive, state-of-the art archiving services to help companies reduce, reorganize and manage or delete old files, and reclaim office space. In business more than 25 years, GHS has 121 employees and has clients across Maine and in New England. For additional information on the company, visit online at http://www.ghsinc.com.

James Clair Joins GHS Data Management

10/19/2001

James A. Clair has joined GHS Data Management, Inc., an Augusta-based technology company, as the director of strategic planning and marketing.

Clair, with more than 20 years of related experience, will be responsible for budgeting, financial analysis, planning and marketing. He previously served as the executive director of the Maine Legislative Council and the director of the Maine Office of Fiscal and Program Review, both in Augusta.

"Jim has a strong background in both budgeting and planning," said Joseph Bruno, GHS president and CEO. "He will be an outstanding addition to our team, helping us maintain our cost-effective approach and reach key audiences about the range of technological services we provide."

A resident of China, Clair received his master's degree in public administration in 1981 from Syracuse University in New York. He also earned a master's degree with a concentration in planning in 1981 from the State University of New York at Syracuse and a bachelor's degree in 1979 from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

GHS Data Management, Inc. manages, tracks, assesses and archives data for businesses, health care and state government, using a number of unique technologies in its delivery of services. For example, the low-cost Drugs for the Elderly program (DEL), which provides discounted prescriptions for the elderly or disabled, was designed by GHS, as was the data management of the state's tuberculosis control program.

In 1999, the company introduced GHS/Rx, a prescription drug program for companies with self-insured medical benefits, and also began offering data card production services to make medical and prescription drug cards for its clients. The cards, which can also be formatted for identification cards and other uses, are made at GHS headquarters and the data management systems are housed there as well.

GHS Data Management also provides extensive, state-of-the art archiving services to help companies reduce, reorganize and manage or delete old files, and reclaim office space. In addition, the GHS data-capture department provides rapid turnaround of raw data for its clients, from forms and reports to basic data entry. The State of Maine's Community Assessment Program is also managed by GHS. In business more than 25 years, GHS has 121 employees and has clients across Maine and in New England. For additional information on the company, visit online at http://www.ghsinc.com.

Healthcare Options for Employers Breakfast Program Scheduled for Feb. 8 in Portland

01/15/2001

A breakfast panel discussion designed for employers on the changing health care market will be held Thursday, February 8 from 7:15 to 9 a.m. at the Mariners Church Banquet Center at 368 Fore St. (corner of Fore and Market streets) in Portland.

The event, entitled "Options and Alternatives in a Tumultuous Health Care Market," is open to the public and will feature a panel of health care benefits experts, including Deb Whitworth, vice president for human resources, marketing & communications at GHS Data Management, Inc., and Mark Anthoine, the president & CEO of Healey & Associates.

Persons wishing to attend the event, which is organized and sponsored by Maine Businesses for Social Responsibility (MEBSR), may call 761-4300 for reservations. The cost of the program, which includes breakfast, is $14 for the general public and $9 for members of MESBR. The program is designed for human resources professionals, business owners, managers and any employer with an interest in health care planning.

The ability to compete as well as attract and retain the best personnel to meet the numerous competitive changes in a global marketplace is becoming increasingly more difficult, organizers said. 
"During these tumultuous times, evaluating and controlling benefits costs, while at the same time being able to offer an attractive and competitive benefits package, is an essential factor in maintaining sound business practices," said Deb Whitworth of GHS Data Management.

The program will outline the state of affairs in the Maine health care marketplace as well as identify several cost drivers that continue to exacerbate the problem. The state and federal government are at a crossroads with respect to managed care and government-sponsored health benefits and most individuals and businesses are reluctant to accept government-sponsored programs, opting instead to maintain freedom of choice in the delivery of healthcare services. The panel will give audience members practical ideas and suggestions toward evaluating their current situation, as well as thoughts on implementing innovative solutions that meet their employees' needs and also address the current challenges in the marketplace.

The panelists will outline several alternatives to traditional fully insured health coverage, including exploring higher deductible coverage, as well as models of partially self-funded options. Audience members will also be given the opportunity to submit negative and positive features of their current health plan to discuss with the panelists.

Panelists:

Deb Whitworth is Vice President for Human Resources, Marketing & Communications at GHS Data Management, Inc., an Augusta-based technology organization. With more than 20 years in human resources management, Whitworth has designed and implemented self-insured medical and dental programs for a variety of industries including health care, high tech, and financial services.

Mark Anthoine is the President & CEO of Healey & Associates, an insurance brokerage and financial services firm with offices in Auburn and Portland. A native of Maine, Anthoine has more than 20 years experience in the insurance field.

About GHS: GHS Data Management, Inc., manages, tracks, assesses and archives data for businesses, health care and state government, using a number of unique technologies in its delivery of services. For example, the Drugs for the Elderly or Disabled program (DEL), which provides discounted prescriptions for the elderly or disabled, was designed by GHS, as was the data management of the state's tuberculosis control program.

In 1999, the company introduced GHS/Rx, a prescription drug program for companies with self-insured medical benefits, and also in 1999, GHS began offering data card production services to make medical and prescription drug cards for its clients. The cards, which can also be formatted for identification cards and other uses, are made at the headquarters and the data management systems are housed there as well.

GHS Data Management also provides extensive, state-of-the art archiving services to help companies reduce, reorganize and manage or delete old files, and reclaim office space, as their company brochure puts it. And, the GHS data capture department provides rapid turnaround of raw data for its clients, from forms and reports to basic data entry. The State of Maine's Community Assessment Program is also managed by GHS. In business more than 25 years, GHS Data Management has 121 employees and clients across the state of Maine and in New England. For additional information on the company, visit their website at www.ghsinc.com.