2007 News Archive

New Bedford Police signs Statement of Support

On December 20, 2007 the New Bedford Police Department signed a Statement of Support for the Guard & Reserve.   New Bedford has twelve members of the force currently serving as members of the National Guard & Reserve.  Chief Ron Teachman signed the document on behalf of the Department. 

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MA ESGR Volunteers Annual Training Day

November found the Massachusetts Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve convening at the Massachusetts National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters in Milford MA for a day of training. Classes included special guest speakers, general updating for all members and splitting into groups for specific training related to assignments and time in the program.  

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Cobblestone Restaurant shows their Support for The Guard and Reserve 

Historic South Sixth Street in New Bedford, Mass was the signing recently of a Statement of Support for the Guard & Reserve. Recently sold to its new owner, the Restaurant has been a downtown landmark for 18 years.  The owner was proud to sign the statement, her husband, employed as a weekend manager is a 22 year member of the Massachusetts Army national Guard.  Cobblestone's offers a ten percent discount to military members upon presentation of a military ID.  The Statement of Support is proudly displayed near the entrance with an American flag.

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Woods Hole US Coast Guard Base Tour & Luncheon

Friday, October 26, 2007 was the date of the Woods Hole US Coast Guard Base Tour & Luncheon. Sponsored by Mass. ESGR, the event brought together Guard & Reserve member employers, military members from three components and several ESGR representatives.  Employers left the Woods Hole USCG facility amazed at the skill, leadership and knowledge displayed by Coast Guardsmen throughout the tour.  Many commented on the level of responsibility given to and assumed by young personnel only a year or two out of high school. 

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A Night of Celebration in  Boston

In the early O-dark hundred hours of October 22nd, as weary fans of red sox nation slowly made their way home after celebrating a world series victory, members of the Massachusetts ESGR Committee were up and heading into Boston. The purpose was to attend a 6:00 AM group meeting at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital (BWH). The early hour was selected to fall during hospital shift changes, a time that  accommodated and allowed a maximum number of key individuals to attend.

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The Massachusetts Business Roundtable hosted the 2007 national conference of business roundtable/ council executive directors from twenty states that was held in Chatham October 15-17th.  State business roundtables and councils are made up of the CEOs or senior executives of major employers in those states.  The memberships vary from 35-100 employers depending on the size of the state.   Massachusetts for example has 72 members representing the largest employers in the Commonwealth. .  (full story)

On Tuesday November 6th, SGT George M. Mercuri, a member of the 719th Transportation Battalion presented Mr. Richard J. Ray, Vice President of Dollar Rent-A-Car in East Boston, a U.S. Flag that had been flown over the unit Headquarters in IRAQ. The flag was presented in appreciation of Mr. Ray’s support for members of SGT Mercuri’s Army Reserve Unit.  (full story)

On October 22, Patriot Funding of Centerville, MA on Cape Cod became the latest in a growing list of employers, public and private, who have stepped up and signed the Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve Statement of Support Certificate.  (full story)

On Tuesday, October 16, 2007 Mayor Thacher Keezer, Fire Chief William Shute and Police Chief Michael Cronin all signed Statements of Supports. Mayor Keezer is the only serving elected head of a town or city government in Massachusetts who is also a member of the Guard and Reserve. There are four members of the Guard & Reserve employed by the Police & Fire Departments.  (full story)

On Oct 11, 2007 at the General Business Meeting at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee , Mass State Committee Chairman Ken Forchielli awarded the Seven Seals Award to three outstanding members of the Mass Committee.  (full story)

On Friday, October 5, 2007 Mid Cape Tire & Auto Service Center in New Bedford, became a member of a special group of patriotic American public and private sector employers who have signed the ESGR Statement of Support Certificate.  (full story)

Jobs were being offered and both current and previous members of the armed service came in droves to submit their resumes and discuss employment opportunities. Early July 12th, the doors to the luxury level seating opened and this Country’s true Patriots were extended a warm welcome as they rode the escalator to the job fair located on the mezzanine level.  (full story)

BDUs and a mobility line greeted the bosses who “deployed” to Westover in July.  A line of bosses filed out the door to the Westover Club as they waited to “in-process” for the annual Employer Day held July 7. Their employees – more than 30 reservists– assisted the group as each boss received a mobility folder, shot records and other vital information before their welcome from Brig. Gen. Wade Farris, 439th Airlift Wing commander.   (full story)

On July 18th, fellow employees and staff from the Gentex Optics plant in Dudley met in the conference room where they were recognized for their support of a fellow employee who recently returned from military deployment. During this event, Cpl Shetland spoke first hand about military life in Afghanistan and the importance of receiving support from his employer.   (full story)

The Tri-State Truck Center of Shrewsbury became one extended family on May 25th as SGT Steve Harrop prepared to leave his civilian employment and deploy with his unit in the Massachusetts Army National Guard.  During a short but highly charged and emotional ceremony, company employees joined with Mr. Kevin Holmes, President of Tri -State Truck Company, as he expressed his feelings for SGT Harrop as an employee.   (full story)

On June 13th, The Massachusetts State Chair attended a special award ceremony at FLIR Systems in Billerica where MAJ John Hodge, a member of the Individual Ready Reserve, was presented with a flag case from his employer. The case contained a large American flag with certificates documenting the flag had flow over the Pentagon on Memorial Day and then flown outside FLIR Systems the next day.   (full story)

On June 4, 2007 The Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District stepped forward to sign a Statement of Support certificate showing awareness of the importance of hiring a military member to their workforce.    (full story)

 The Massachusetts Committee for ESGR presented the “Above & Beyond” Award to Mr. Stephen Guttenplan, President and CEO of Metcalf & Eddy (M&E) on May 14, 2007.    (full story)

Today in Fall River, ESGR presented it's prestigious Above and Beyond Award to Local 535, New England Regional Council of Carpenters in recognition of it's outstanding support of it's union members who are also members of the Guard & Reserve.
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On Thursday, April 26, 2007, Massachusetts ESGR Vice-Chairman Dave St. Germain was present at the signing of the Statement of Support by members of the North Attleborough Board of Selectmen. After some discussion and a series of questions from the Board members, Board Chairman Selectman William Moffit enthusiastically signed the Certificate.   (full story)

At the General Business meeting of Massachusetts ESGR on Tues, April 10, 2007, Western Mass Area Chairman, Mr. Earl Bonnet, was awarded the David P Mahn Spirit Of Volunteerism Award for 2007.   (full story)

The Massachusetts Committee for ESGR recently presented an Above & Beyond Award to Mr. Richard Meelia, President and CEO of Tyco Healthcare. Tyco Healthcare, headquartered in Mansfield, is a leading global medical device, supplies and pharmaceutical company that employs over 43,000 employees.   (full story)

A nationwide company with corporate headquarters in Wakefield, MA, Metcalf & Eddy, Inc., stepped forward to honor their more than twenty military member employees on March 9th at a ceremony in their offices.    (full story)

Richard Moody Receives Seven-Seals Award

On Friday March 9, 2007 in Wakefield, MA, the Massachusetts Committee for ESGR presented a Seven-Seals Award to Mr. Richard Moody, founder and director of "Operation Troop Support" (OTS).  OTS is a volunteer organization which provides gifts and recreational items to troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and surround areas.    (full story)

On February 15, the Town of Sandwich at a Board of Selectmen meeting signed the ESGR Statement of Support, making Sandwich the third town in Barnstable County to accomplish this.  The Chairman of the Board Randal Hunt signed the Certificate during the weekly Board of Selectmen's meeting.    (full story)

ESGR Area Chairman for Southeastern Massachusetts, Tom Boyle,  was on hand on Monday, February 12 at the Harwich Town Hall when the Board of Selectmen signed the Statement for Support certificate for the Town of Harwich.  (full story)

On Friday the ninth of February, Duro Textiles LLC participated in a Statement of Support signing. Duro is a major textile manufacturer in Fall River. They are a supplier of BDU/Fatigue uniforms so several branches of the Department of Defense. (full story)

The Tuesday Club of Freetown is a group of women residents of the area who get together, appropriately enough, on Tuesdays at the Freetown Senior Center to socialize and perform charitable efforts for the area. Among their many efforts was a campaign to collect, package and ship over thirty boxes of toys to a unit of the First Division in the Baghdad Area of Operations.   (full story)

On Monday, February 5, one of the fastest growing towns in Southeastern Massachusetts, signed an ESGR Statement of Support for town employees who are members of the Guard & Reserve.  (full story)

Proudly dressed in his Army ACUs, LTC Charles Frost of the Army Reserve spent his last day cleaning up his office and transferring unfinished work to his fellow employees.  LTC Frost works for Alcatel-Lucent of Westford, MA and is preparing for duty in Iraq. (full story)

On January 23, 2007, the Massachusetts Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve presented its seven seals award to State Senator Stephen M. Brewer and State Representative Anthony J. Verga. Senator Brewer and Representative Verga are Chairmen of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs.  (full story)

On Feb 1, a major Cape Cod business signed the ESGR Statement of Support.  Onset Computer Corporation, located on Route 28 in Bourne, became the latest business in South Eastern Massachusetts to take part in the Statement of Support initiative.  (full story)

Fallon Clinic, the first multi-specialty group practice in central Massachusetts, has received the Above and Beyond Award from the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).  (full story)

Chief David Thibidot of the Fall River Fire Department signed a Statement of Support on Wednesday January 24 at City Hall.  Present for the event were Bill Napert and Dave St. Germain of ESGR and  Sergeant Nelson Cabral of the Massachusetts Army National Guard.  (full story)

In historic Fall River, a city famous for textile mills, beautiful Victorian neighborhoods, the Old Fall River Steamship Line, and Lizzie Borden, Mayor Edward Lambert signed the Statement of Support certificate.  (full story)

Founded in 1656, the picturesque town of Bridgewater, Mass was the location of the signing of a Statement of Support by the Board of Selectmen of the town.   (full story)

The historic and scenic coastal town of Westport was the location of still another Statement of Support signing.  The Westport Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to sign the ESGR Statement of Support and did so on January 22.   (full story)

In an effort to show Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), bosses and community leaders joined the 104th Fighter Wing on January 17-18, 2007 on a tour of the Combat Readiness Training Center in Savannah, Georgia.   (full story)

The Historic East Bridgewater Town Hall was the site of a signing of the ESGR Statement of Support by the Chairman of the East Bridgewater Board of Selectmen.  (full story)