"November 2008 Veteran of the Month Presented to Crystal Lake Business Owner and Nonprofit Leader"
On behalf of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, John Blanchard, executive director of NASA Education Corporation a 501(c)(3) nonprofit company has been recognized and named November 2008 Veteran of the Month.
Crystal Lake, IL (PRWEB) November 26, 2008
On behalf of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, John Blanchard, executive director of NASA Education Corporation a 501(c)(3) nonprofit company has been recognized and named November 2008 Veteran of the Month.
L. Tammy Duckworth, Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs presented Blanchard proclaiming the honors on Friday, November 21, 2008 at The Milk Pail in East Dundee, Illinois. Local, State and Federal officials, as well as business associates, family and friends gathered at 11:00 a. m. for the event. Blanchard, a second generation Navy veteran who served in the United States Navy for eight years, is a true leader and veteran advocate assisting his brothers and sisters of the military that have fallen on hard times. "We wouldn't leave them behind before, so why would any veteran leave them behind now. Every veteran has a responsibility for their buddies", stated Blanchard. Director Duckworth spoke about the "warrior ethos" held by veterans, who feel a special responsibility to complete their mission and leave no fellow service member behind. "He (Blanchard) does that on a level that's beyond the best. There are 1.2 million veterans in Illinois. That means that this month, on this day, he's more than one in a million, he's one in 1.2 million", commented Director Duckworth.
In addition, Mr. Blanchard's continued success as a business owner is a true testimony of how a veteran himself, who for a short time was one of those less fortunate returnees, could take his final paycheck and through determination and a very strong faith create not one but two successful, profitable, international companies: The National Association of System Administrators, Inc (NASA, Inc.) a leading provider of hardware maintenance, co-location and disaster recovery services, founded in 1994 and National Association of System Administrators Corporation (NASA Corp.), a software development company founded in 1997. Blanchard's accomplishments all evolve around his unselfishness to assist not only his community but also to honor his fellow veterans. He's savvy in his approach towards any task or goal resulting in successful completion. Through NASA Education he has proven successfully that a non-profit company can become sufficiently self-funded using the right seed money to start towards a goal and then through utilizing the right resources to achieve its initial goals, causing literally an explosion of accomplishments. "I'm very proud that I haven't had to rely on governmental funding to run NASA Education. By having a successful program which trains and then utilizes the skills in the participants, I am able to not only employ them but I am able to net enough proceeds to keep the programs running.", said Blanchard. His well rounded background and worldly experiences have provided many facets and avenues to use in order to educate and produce qualified individuals in many different arenas, even though through some challenges the outcome and successes were favorable. His genuine leadership qualities are a key factors to his successes, such as his ability to not only see the good in people but also to bring out the best qualities in those individuals he has come into contact with, making participants even more determined to overcome their downfalls and become successful. Blanchard has a true gift and a very strong faith in what he is doing which is very visible based on the achievements. His integrity, devotion and honorable dedication to his community are always noticeable and well received. He is well respected among the private and public sector and is very committed to do what is right for the cities, county, state and nation. Blanchard is a lifetime member of the Carpentersville, Illinois, VFW Post 5915 where he serves as the Post Commander.
When asked what such an honor meant to him, Blanchard responded, "I'm proud of what I do, but I don't think I am all that special. It's nature to care, dream and give hope to the future of my fellow veterans. I just hope that this recognition drives other veterans to strive for the filling of the gap where it is needed."
2008 has not only been an exhausting year, but also an exciting year for Blanchard. He was awarded the 2008 McHenry County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) Business Champion Special Award; the 2008 Congressional Medal of Distinction and was the recipient of the Economic Commission of the American Legion, Department of Illinois, Employer of the Year and 2008 National Economic Commission of the American Legion National Outstanding Achievement Award for the employment of veterans. Past awards have included the "Keeping America Strong Award" presented by the Rear Admiral Kevin F. Delaney (ret.) at the Heartbeat of America Television program by mega star William Shatner.
NASA Education is a Crystal Lake-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive workforce and community reintegration services for U. S. veterans who are displaced, disabled, homeless or otherwise in transition.
For more information about NASA Education, please contact Amy Johnson at 866-338-4968 (866-EDU-4YOU) or amy_johnson@nasaeducation. org or visit our website at www. nasaeducation. org.
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