[Post by Chuck Krugh, May 5, 2023]
This year we restarted the Service Recognition program for BIW. It is important that we recognize our team’s dedication and commitment to our company. If it wasn’t for the work that each of you does every day, our company wouldn’t produce the high-quality ships that our Navy needs to keep our country and families safe.
In order to recognize our team, we decided to conduct two types of events: a lunch program and a celebration dinner evening. The lunches recognize the people celebrating 5-, 10-, 15-, 20- and 25-year anniversaries. The people marking five-year anniversaries starting with 30 years of service to BIW are invited to a dinner. In addition to the lunches and dinners, we decided to have a series of coins designed to give to the honorees as a small token of our appreciation. The coins were designed by Rebecca Volent in the Communications Department and they turned out awesome. We now have a coin designed and manufactured for each five-year service milestone.
Each lunch recognizes the people hired that month back 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 years ago. The lunches started in April. Launching them later in the year instead of the beginning of the year put us in a bit of catch-up mode. We didn’t want to start the lunches until we had the coins designed and minted. You know I don’t like to be behind schedule, but it had to be right!
To date we have conducted four lunches and are caught back up to May awardees. We will have the next lunch on May 25 for those team members. In June we will have a lunch for the June awardees, a lunch for the July awardees, and a second shift “lunch” for the January–June awardees. In September we will pick back up with August, and second and third shift as well as the regular monthly lunch.
The lunches have been really enjoyable, providing some time for people to catch up with one another. We’re a big company, and I don’t think we realize how many people we know across the shipyard simply from our daily interactions. It’s good to take time to get reacquainted. It’s been a lot of fun being involved with them. Sitting down, breaking bread and listening to people’s stories – sharing time with you – is one of the best parts of my job!
This Saturday (May 6), we are having our first dinner to recognize our 30-year and up shipbuilders. Our honorees include one 45-year, five 40-year and sixty-one 35-year employees. Combined this totals more than 2,300 years of shipbuilding experience. That’s impressive!
Each of our honorees has the opportunity to bring a guest such as a spouse, friend or other family member to the dinner to share in the celebration. Included in our event will be a special recognition of our 40-year Master Shipbuilders. It should be a fun night for all!
Since we have such a large group of honorees this year in the 30-year and up category, we will have a second dinner in September. If you are in this group, make sure to watch your mail so that you can get your invitation and RSVP for the next dinner.
I hope to see you at one of the lunches or a dinner soon – if not this year, then in coming years!
See you on the deckplates!
Safely Execute High-Quality Work
Chuck
President, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works
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