AUGUSTA – Two Maine business people have been added to the Maine Better Transportation Association’s 30-member board of directors. They are Deborah Dunlap-Avasthi of HRH Northern New England in Auburn, and Thomas H. Martin Jr. of NITRAM Excavation & General Contractors Inc. in Benton.

The appointments were made at the association’s 65th annual meeting in Augusta.

Founded in 1939, Maine Better Transportation Association is an advocate for a safe and efficient transportation system. Its members include more than 650 businesses and individuals from all sectors of the transportation industry, including highways and bridges, airports, railroads, seaports, mass transit and footpaths/bicycle trails.

Darren K. Shiers of Gorham has been elected president of the MBTA for 2004-05. He is project manager at Shaw Brothers Construction Inc. of Gorham, where he has worked since 1984. A graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington, Darren and his wife, Lisa, have four children.

First vice president is Timothy M. Folster of Old Town, general superintendent at Sargent & Sargent in Hampden.

Second vice president is Scott A. Leach of Bangor. He has been employed by The Lane Construction Corp. for 21 years, and currently serves as district manager in the company’s Bangor office.

Secretary/treasurer is Lauren J. Corey of Portland, a director at Macdonald Page Schatz Fletcher & Co., LLC, in South Portland.