NORTHPORT — Michael Theriault, Sun Journal circulation director, was named the Maine Press Association’s Circulation Person of the Year at the association’s annual conference Saturday.

Theriault, who lives in Minot, has been with the Sun Media Group for more than 20 years, starting with the company as a home delivery newspaper carrier and has been the Sun Journal’s circulation director for the past five years. In addition to these positions, Theriault has also been the Sun Journal’s single copy sales manager and assistant circulation director before moving into his current position.

Like almost all circulation directors, Theriault has faced declining numbers, but through circulation department promotions, inter-department promotions, innovative programs to reach non-subscribers, improved service to customers and community relations, Theriault and his staff have been integral in slowing the losses at the Sun Journal like few other newspapers in New England.

In the six-month period that ended last September, the combined percentage losses from the Sun Journal’s daily and Sunday editions were the lowest of all Maine dailies and were second lowest among a sampling of 18 New England dailies the Sun Journal regularly compares itself with, the Lowell Sun in Massachusetts being the only one experiencing fewer losses.

In the six-month period ending March 2010, the combined Sun Journal daily and Sunday losses were again the lowest among Maine dailies and third lowest among the New England group.

In the past year, the Sun Journal’s circulation department was recognized by the New England Association of Circulation Executives with first-place honors for community relations and carrier retention. In the previous two years, the department was recognized by NEACE with first-place awards for subscriber retention.

“Mike is always up to a challenge and ready to take on any new opportunity,” Publisher James Costello Sr. said. “He has been a solid leader of our circulation department and continues to play a tremendous role as we transform to a multimedia organization.”

According to William McCarthy, the Sun Journal’s transportation manager, Theriault has led the newspaper’s circulation department “to continually improve service and break all previous (delivery) records with a smaller work force than in the past.”

Theriault worked with Dunkin’ Donuts on a partnership to sell the Sun Journal at its stores and use proceeds from those sales to fund its charitable donations. Through that program, local National Guardsmen in Iraq get daily shipments of Sun Journal newspapers and two pounds of fresh Dunkin’ Donuts coffee.

He expanded the charitable program with the Burger King chain, which now sells the Sun Journal to fund its local employee scholarship program.

Among Theriault’s accomplishments is a reduction in the time customers wait on the phone when calling the Sun Journal, lowering the number of dropped incoming calls to 0.69 percent last June, compared to 2.11 percent in 2008. And, the rate of reader complaints about non-delivery is at the lowest number in the past 14 years, now at 1.07 complaints per 1,000 readers.

Theriault has consistently worked with Sun Journal newsroom employees to coordinate coverage with circulation pushes into new readership areas, and his early-morning delivery staff regularly alerts the newsroom to potential news events in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties. He is also aware of potential sales opportunities when a big story breaks, arranging for additional copies of the paper to be available in local stores to ensure enough copies for potential readers.

“It’s a good partnership between the newsroom and the circulation department,” said Judith Meyer, managing editor/days, “and one that truly benefits our readers and our company.”

When the newsroom staff was considering options to get aerial photos of last July’s Nateva Festival at the Oxford Fairgrounds, Theriault offered to fly a photographer overhead in his personal paraglider, giving the photographer access to close shots of the 100-acre property, of campers and performance arenas. That access provided what would become the front page photo for the July 4 edition.

“Mike’s willingness to help with that photograph was a true demonstration of his commitment to our daily product,” Meyer said. “That commitment to excellence drives Mike, providing a true service to our readers who welcome the Sun Journal into their homes every day.”