Camden Rotary awards grant to PenBay YMCA

CAMDEN — The Camden Rotary Club has given the Penobscot Bay YMCA $5,000 to help pay for a new playground there. The grant is part of the club's Youth Are the Future Initiative, which supports the development and education of youth in the Knox County area.

The club presents grants to several local organizations each year as part of its service to the community. Applications for next year's grants program will be available in early 2015.

Elm Street Marketing Essentials partners with Proforma to expand capabilities

CAMDEN — Peter and Kim Palermo, Co-Owners of Elm Street Marketing Essentials, have announced a new partnership with Proforma, a leading provider of graphic marketing services. Now operating as Elm Street Marketing Essentials Powered by Proforma, the Palermo's will offer enhanced marketing solutions to local businesses.

"We are excited to partner with Proforma to expand our marketing services and capabilities," said Peter Palermo. "Our focus is on helping our clients achieve their business goals. Now we have more tools, resources and support to elevate our clients' marketing campaigns to a new level."

Elm Street Marketing Essentials, previously Elm Street Printing & Graphics, has been serving the Camden community since 1987. The marketing and branding company will now offer expanded graphic communications solutions through promotional products, commercial printing services, multi-media and technology solutions, business documents, direct mail, web and e-commerce capabilities.

"We are continually looking for ways we can better serve our clients," said Kim Palermo. "With Proforma we are going to be able deliver the same great service, but now with a broader product offering, better pricing and even faster turnaround on projects."

Peter Palermo has more than 35 years of experience in marketing and advertising. He has worked for a number of advertising agencies in New England and most recently served as the Vice President of Account Services at Maier Advertising before joining Elm Street Marketing Essentials. His broad experience in marketing strategy, development and planning has helped in create successful business-to-business print, broadcast, direct marketing and web development campaigns for companies like GE, IBM and United Technologies.

Kim Palermo began her career in broadcast and print sales before working with several marketing consulting firms, focusing on marketing strategy, branding and sales training program development and implementation. In 1990, she formed KMP Communications, a desktop publishing and copywriting business that was reorganized to form Elm Street Printing & Graphics, Inc. when she relocated to Camden, ME. Palermo has developed comprehensive marketing campaigns for companies such as Connecticut National Bank, Travelers Life & Annuity, Travelers Property & Casualty, Healthmarket, Sandvik Tool, Henkel Loctite Corporation and more.

The Palermo's are also very active in the Camden community, often offering their marketing expertise and time to local nonprofit organizations such as the Maine Women's Network, Camden Rotary, Camden Downtown Business Group, local Chambers of Commerce and more.

For more information about Elm Street Marketing Essentials Powered by Proforma, visit www.Proforma.com/MarketingEssentials.