The former Fonterra CEO has joined Orion Health as a director and investor.

Orion Health has been named the lead technology provider for the US state of Maine’s HealthInfoNet health information exchange project.

The privately-held, Auckland-based software company – now New Zealand’s largest, with around 250 developers – landed the contract after taking place in a pilot project.

Maine received $US6.2 million from the US federal government for healthcare information eacchange.

$US4.2 million of the total is going to HealthInfoNet, which will link six healthcare organisations, and their affiliated doctors and hospitals.

New Zealand’s biggest software company says it’s now easier to find skilled staff, and that applicants' salary expectations have fallen 15%.