About us
At MaineSail, People Come First
Rooted in compassion and inspired by the spirit of Maine, our care communities are designed to bring comfort, connection, and dignity to every person we serve.
Professional & Trustworthy
North Country Associates and Sandy River Company began their businesses in the early 1980’s with the humble mission of providing the best care for elders in Maine. For over 40 years we have been leaders in the transformation of person-centered care through dedicated leadership, training and education, building new care centers, and public advocacy for culture change. We recognize that our success is measured by the success and wellness of our employees, who are the foundation on which great care and compassion is delivered. Our commitment to providing the best places to work and live is a hallmark of North Country and Sandy River.
Innovative & Forward Thinking
The North Country and Sandy River collaborative has worked as a team to continuously improve upon its designs and programs. Our “neighborhood” model of private rooms and smaller community spaces offers the best settings for safe, personalized care. We also believe that secured well-landscaped outdoor spaces is critical to the well-being of the people we serve.
Our Team
North Country Team
John Orestis
President
John Orestis, President and co-owner of North Country Associates since its inception in 1982, is an attorney and former Mayor of Lewiston, who has served as a legislative representative in the state of Maine. John is a past President of the Maine Health Care Association. Mr. Orestis was responsible for developing a company consisting of 14 nursing facilities in Maine and Massachusetts. Through his leadership, North Country Associates has grown substantially and emerged as a leading provider of healthcare services and is regarded for high quality care and excellent customer service.
Mary Jane Richards
Chief Executive Officer
As the Chief Operating Officer, Mary Jane oversees facility operations, fiscal, clinical and human resource management. She began her career in long term care in 1991 with North Country Associates, first as an Activity Director and eventually earning her Multi-Level Administrator’s license and operating several of North Country Associates facilities. With her years of management experience she brings a collaborative style to the Senior Management Team. Mary Jane earned her Bachelors Degree from the University of Maine. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Maine Health Care Association and has been an active member on the Nursing Home Administrator’s Licensing Board for several years, serving as both Chair and Complaint Officer.
Douglas S. Gardner
Senior Vice President of Development & Operations
Doug’s first experience in long term care came in 1992 when he worked as the QMRP at Northland Living Center. After completing an Administrator-in-Training Program with North Country Associates, he worked at several NCA facilities until his departure from the company in 1996. After working three years as the Administrator of a large multi-level facility in Lewiston, he became the Administrator at the Barron Center, a 235-bed LTC facility owned and operated by the City of Portland and part of the Portland’s Health & Human Services Department. In 2005, Doug was promoted to the position of Director for Portland’s Health & Human Services Department; a position he would hold for nine years until rejoining NCA in the middle of 2014. Doug earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education for the University of Maine, Farmington and a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the Muskie School of Public Service at USM.
Sandy Verge
Senior Vice President of Human Resources
& Customer Relations
Sandy Verge, Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Customer Relations, serves in a central role providing Human Resources consultation services to all North Country Associates’ facilities. She received her degree from the University of Maine and has an extensive background in managing Human Resource policies and programs in the healthcare setting. Having worked in the long term care setting for more than three decades, Sandy coordinates and oversees all aspects of Human Resources, insuring compliance with federal and state regulations as they pertain to employment. As a member of the Senior Management Team, Sandy serves as a valuable resource to facility staff. The outcome is the successful merging of operational goals and human resources demands – resulting in quality healthcare delivery.
Glen G. Cyr
Senior Vice President of Finance
Glen began in the health care field in 1988 after being in public accounting for approximately 2 years and graduating from the University of Maine at Orono with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. After working approximately 10 years for a small regional provider, in 1998 Glen joined North Country Associates, Inc., as the Senior Vice President of Finance. As the Senior Vice President of Finance, Glen oversees the financial and reimbursement operations of the company, serving a vital function in supporting the stability and expansion of the organization.
Kim Dufour
Vice President of Clinical Services
Kim Dufour, Vice President of Clinical Services & Quality Improvement, has worked in healthcare for nearly 30 years. Her experience began as a Certified Nursing Assistant while in high school, then as a Licensed Practical Nurse, and becoming a Registered Nurse in 1999. Kim’s nursing career has always been in the Long Term Care setting, with the first 10 years in the ICF/IDD setting. She has worked with North Country Associates since 2005, working in various capacities to include: MDS Coordinator, Nurse Manager, and Director of Nursing Services. In her present position, Kim works collaboratively with all NCA facilities to ensure delivery of high quality clinical care with a focus on Quality Improvement. Kim has also become NCA’s content expert related to our COVID-19 response.
Eric Pooler
Operations Analyst
Eric Pooler, MLA, currently serves as an Operations Analyst for North Country Associates. Eric has over 28 years of experience working in nursing, assisted living, gero-psych and ICF/IID facilities. Eric earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education and his Master’s Degree in Special Education at the University of Maine. Having been a licensed multi-level facility administrator for over 25 years, he has expertise in operations management, risk management, facility reimbursement, business development, regulatory compliance, behavior management, staff development and education. In addition, he has served as a preceptor for many administrators over the last 20 years and authored the Nursing Home Administrator’s Board approved, “Nursing Home Administrator’s Preceptor Training Program”.
Deborah Abbotts
Director of Clinical Admissions
As the Director of Clinical Admissions Deborah works with her team of clinical liaisons managing the hospital and community referrals for our North Country Facilities. Deborah also collaborates with our Hospital and Community partners for opportunities to build census and streamline the referral process.
Deborah has over 35 years of experience working in health care including long term care and the acute hospital setting. Deborah Attended Molloy College of Nursing in Rockville Centre New York and also has a degree in Clinical Nutrition. Prior to her career in Long term Care Deborah was the Assistant Director of York County Community Action Woman Infants and Children program for 15 years. While at York County Community Action, Deborah co-wrote and managed several grants on accessing health care.
Schooner Team
John Rice
Director of Operations
John Rice is the Director of Operations at Schooner Estates Senior Living Community and Schooner Memory Care in Auburn, as well as Fallbrook Woods in Portland. He has worked in long-term care since 1999 and became a multi-level administrator in 2008 after earning his bachelor’s degree from Husson University. Before joining Schooner Estates in 2012, John served as an administrator in Augusta and Scarborough, gaining over 25 years of experience across independent and assisted living, residential care, and skilled nursing. A former President and current Fellow of the American College of Health Care Administrators, John is dedicated to advancing senior care in Maine. He also serves on the Central Maine Community College Foundation Board and is a former Chair of the L/A Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, believing that strong community ties are key to exceptional senior care.
Dianne Day
Director of Finance & Human Resources
Dianne Day serves as the Director of Finance & Human Resources for Schooner Estates, Schooner Memory Care, and Fallbrook Woods, bringing a strong blend of financial expertise and people-centered leadership to her role. A graduate of Thomas College with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Dianne entered the senior living industry in 2010 with over 20 years of experience in regulatory compliance, customer service, and human resources. Since earning her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) credential in 2013, Dianne has been a recognized leader in the HR community, serving for a decade as Treasurer of the Central Maine Human Resources Association. Her ability to balance strategic financial oversight with compassionate, effective HR practices has made her a key member of the senior leadership team. Dianne works closely with facility management teams to support sound financial and operational decisions that enhance both organizational efficiency and workplace culture. Her collaborative approach fosters a positive work environment while ensuring high-quality service for residents and families.
Sandy River Team
David Friedman
Partner
David Friedman attended Harvard University where he graduated cum laude in Economics in 1969. After a stint at Harvard Business School, David moved to Maine where his entrepreneurial skills flourished. He founded and built a substantive real estate brokerage firm, which later evolved into real estate development. During the late 1970’s he founded and built Sandy River Realty, Maine’s largest Century 21 real estate brokerage franchise. In 1980, David, along with a husband and wife nurse team, co-founded Sandy River Nursing Care Center, the first of what would be 11 major facilities. He has been a creator and founder of many successful enterprises, all within the arenas of real estate and long-term health care. In addition, he has served as Chair of a number of major national and international non-profit organizations. He is a natural team builder and facilitator and thrives on choosing and then empowering teams to grow. He plays an important advisory role to the work of Sandy River Company.
Michael Tyler
Partner
Michael Tyler graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in Business Administration and Accounting. Michael served in various financial positions with Northeast Health/Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport, Maine prior to joining Sandy River Health System in 1987. During the time that Michael was President of Sandy River Health System, he was instrumental in leading the growth and operations of Sandy River’s health care portfolio from its initial two facilities to eleven facilities and managing over 1600 employees. Working closely with the MaineSail operations team at North Country, he brings a wealth of experience to the operations of MaineSail communities and the entire North Countries portfolio of facilities. Michael also serves as Chairman of the Maine Health Care Association. He brings a refreshing common sense approach to his work and his contributions to State of Maine.
Daniel Maguire
Partner
Daniel Maguire holds a graduate degree in Community Economic Development from the University of Maine where he was also a Teaching Assistant teaching business management and accounting courses after spending five years in the Air Force in accounting and finance. Following graduate school, he was a Business Development Director with Eastern Maine Development Corporation. In 1982, he joined the Maine State Development Office team as a Development Project Officer providing site location assistance to businesses that were expanding in Maine and coordinating trade missions working directly with the Governor’s Office. In 1984, Daniel joined Sandy River Company as VP of Development where he directed the development and construction of a $100 million portfolio of senior care facilities throughout Maine, as well as numerous development consulting assignments for other providers throughout the Northeast. As a partner at Sandy River Company he continues to provide consulting and development services for senior care projects.
