I served in the U.S. Army and formed Mass Fallen Heroes along with several other military brothers who are Boston firefighters and police officers. Our initial mission was to build a lasting memorial to all of our colleagues who lost their lives in the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. After accomplishing this goal and dedicating a monument in Boston’s Seaport District, we have expanded our mission to providing assistance to Gold Star families and fellow veterans who are struggling to assimilate back into society after their service is complete.

I have been a member of the board of directors at Boston Firefighters Credit Union since 2013 and am a passionate advocate for all of our members, but especially our veterans who have continued their service as firefighters and police officers. We have created successful loan programs aimed at helping veterans repair damaged consumer credit and achieve home ownership through our veteran’s mortgage, which offers 100% financing to qualified members who are post-9/11 vets and first-time homebuyers.

The Army taught me many valuable life lessons and the lessons of teamwork and leadership are the ones that I bring to the board table. I also operate with a sense of loyalty that was gained in my training and deployments that drive me to do everything possible for those who, like me, made the decision to raise their right hand and wear the uniform of the USA.

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