[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 129 (Wednesday, September 24, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1847]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO NELLO RICARDI

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN W. OLVER

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 24, 1997

  Mr. OLVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Nello 
Ricardi of Westfield, MA, in recognition of his selection as the 
Westfield Democratic Committee's Democrat of the Year.
  Mr. Ricardi has had a long history in organized labor and politics. 
Nello began his career at the Savage Arms, Inc. in Chicopee, MA, which 
had a labor force in direct affiliation with the AFL-CIO. He served in 
a variety of positions in his local work force chapter, including shop 
steward, trustee, treasurer, vice president, and business manager.
  Nello joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the South Pacific 
during World War II. After World War II, he received a full scholarship 
from Massachusetts AFL-CIO to attend Harvard Business School. Following 
graduation from Harvard, he served as the New England field 
representative for the national AFL-CIO, where he was responsible for 
131 direct affiliates in New England. He took the lead on organizing 
locals, negotiating contracts, and handling arbitrations and 
grievances. He was able to achieve some significant organizing 
successes, such as American Optical, Dennison and Marble Mines to name 
a few.
  In the later years Nello became the New England legislative director 
for the national AFL-CIO and served for a short period as a legislative 
lobbyist at the national level. He then went on to work at the 
education program at the George Meany Center in Silver Spring, MD 
before his retirement. In total, Nello spent 27 years with the national 
AFL-CIO.
  Nello has been a member of the Westfield Democratic Committee for 
over 20 years. He is a very modest man that does not like the 
limelight. He is, simply put, ``a doer,'' volunteering for whatever the 
committee needs. It is people like Nello that make the difference in 
government and politics.
  I am pleased to pay tribute to Nello Ricardi, someone who has been a 
great asset to his community, to Massachusetts, to New England, and to 
his country.

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