Joe Kellner

AUGUSTA — LifeFlight of Maine has named Joe Kellner as chief executive officer. He will begin his new role Oct. 1.

Kellner is chief financial officer of LifeFlight. He serves as vice president of finance, operations and strategy for Northern Light Home Care and Hospice and Northern Light Medical Transport. He also serves as chief operating officer for MedComm.

Kellner succeeds Tom Judge, who founded LifeFlight 25 years ago and will continue as project officer, assisting with legislative advocacy, working with the Federal Aviation Administration on national safety initiatives, and supporting LifeFlight’s research group.

Under Judge’s leadership, the air medical and aviation service has received numerous awards for safety, innovation and clinical excellence. He was instrumental in establishing The LifeFlight Foundation and, most recently, LifeFlight’s new aviation operation, LifeFlight Aviation Services, according to a LifeFlight news release.

LifeFlight of Maine, a joint partnership between Northern Light Health and Central Maine Healthcare, is the state’s only air ambulance service. LifeFlight deploys medical teams from bases in Sanford, Lewiston and Bangor, using three helicopters, an airplane, rapid response vehicles, and specialized ground ambulances.