10-26-2006

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October 26, 2006

HEALEY, HAAS PRESENT FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Praising them for their bravery and courage, Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey and Public Safety Secretary Robert C. Haas today presented the 17th Annual Firefighter of the Year Awards to firefighters from across the Commonwealth who have committed heroic acts of bravery over the past year.

“Each year I am proud to honor the Commonwealth’s firefighters for tremendous acts of heroism acts of bravery,” said Healey. “Without hesitation or regard for your own welfare, you answer the call to duty knowing only that someone in harm’s way needs your help. I am humbled by the sense of duty you display and the pride you take in protecting your fellow citizens.”

“Thanks to the quick, decisive and courageous actions of the men and women we honor today, people who most assuredly would have perished are still alive,” said Haas. “Your devotion to duty and your thorough training have allowed you to save lives and earn the respect and admiration of those you serve.”

Awards were presented to 12 individual firefighters and six group awards were presented to 78 firefighters representing six fire departments.

Four Medals of Honor were presented to two firefighters from Holyoke, and one from Revere and one from Salem.

Six Medals of Valor were presented to firefighters from Amesbury, Concord (2), Gloucester, Revere (2) Fire Departments.

Two Individual Citations for Meritorious Conduct were presented to firefighters from Concord and Fitchburg. Group Citations for Meritorious Conduct were presented to teams of firefighters from Boston, Chelsea, Holyoke, Northbridge, Revere, and Salem.

In addition, State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan presented the Fire Marshal’s award to Mr. and Mrs. Mark Garofalo and to Tomas Kearney. The Garofalos, of Plymouth, lost their 7-year-old daughter, Nicole, to carbon monoxide poisoning in Jan. 2005. Following Nicole’s death, they lobbied for passage of “Nicole’s Law,” which requires carbon monoxide alarms in most homes. Tomas Kearney accepted his award on behalf of his family, who worked to ensure passage of fire-safe cigarette legislation in Massachusetts this past year. The Kearney family lost five members and a close family friend in a 1990 Roslindale fire caused by an improperly discarded cigarette.

Coan said, “These two families poured the pain of personal tragedy into the fight to make the Commonwealth safer for all its citizens. It has been an honor and a privilege to work with these families to pass these two pieces of landmark legislation.”

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Romney's Commonwealth PAC Grows Finance Team

October 26, 2006 – Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s Commonwealth PAC today announced Ann Woods Herberger is joining the PAC team as a National Finance Advisor.

“Ann has a long and distinguished background in politics and finance. Her experience lends valued know-how to the PAC’s finance team,” Romney said. “I am grateful that she has agreed to come on board as we continue to help Republican candidates in this election cycle.”

In her role at the PAC, Herberger will assist with the national fundraising strategy with a particular focus on Florida.

Herberger is a native Iowan who began her political career in 1987 with the George Bush for President campaign during the “first-in-the-nation” Iowa presidential caucuses. She later moved to Washington, DC to work at the Republican National Committee for Mary Matalin, National Victory ’88 Political Director and Margaret Alexander, National Victory ’88 Finance Director as a part of the national Victory ’88 finance team. From 1989 to 1991 she served as the Western Regional Director for the RNC’s major donor program.

Herberger took leave from the committee to serve as the Deputy Finance Director for the Bush-Quayle ’92 re-election campaign.

In 1993, she became Vice President of The Alexander Company, a full-service fundraising and marketing company in Alexandria, Virginia. Two years later, Herberger started the Woods Herberger Group whose clients included both Bush-Cheney presidential campaigns in Florida, the Republican Party of Florida, the Republican National Committee as well as Republican Governors Association.

Jeb Bush asked Herberger to join his Gubernatorial campaign in 1997 as the Finance Director, a role she would also play in Gov Jeb Bush’s re-election in 2002. In all, she has handled fundraising for Gov Bush for the last nine years.

Copied from The Commonwealth PAC.**