[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15216-15217]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING PAT'S PIZZA OLD PORT

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, each year on the November 11, as a 
nation, we celebrate the service of all U.S. military veterans. 
Veterans Day is a chance to honor those who protect our freedom while 
they give others the opportunity to pursue the American dream. It is 
our veteran entrepreneurs who know the sacrifices and struggles both of 
military service and of pursuing that dream first hand. Today I rise to 
recognize and commend two such veteran entrepreneurs, Chris and Jen 
Tyll, who own and operate Pat's

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Pizza Old Port located in Portland, ME.
  Chris and Jen Tyll are graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy. Chris is 
a former Navy SEAL and platoon leader, and served four tours in Iraq. 
Chris and Jen have 23 years of military experience between them and 
have completed six deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 
and Operation Enduring Freedom.
  Chris first visited Maine at the age of 18 while visiting with his 
Naval Academy roommate. He fell in love with the State and believed 
Maine would be a great place to raise a family. After moving around the 
country and living in eight States, the Tylls decided to establish 
roots in Maine. As Chris transitioned out of the military, he knew he 
wanted to own a business. Subsequently, he opened a Pat's Pizza in the 
heart of Portland's Historic Old Port in 2009.
  The original Pat's Pizza, located in Orono, is an undeniable favorite 
of University of Maine students. It has been said that an education at 
the University of Maine at Orono is not complete without sampling a 
pizza from Pat's. Pat's Pizza is known for its sauce, developed by the 
founder, which gives its pizza a distinct home-grown flavor. The dough 
is made fresh daily, delivering customers the same authentic taste in 
every location. Pat's Pizza Old Port offers the same great Pat's taste 
and all of the amenities Mainers and their families have come to enjoy.
  While Pat's Pizza Old Port provides Chris the opportunity to be a 
successful business owner, he has not forgotten his former comrades and 
finds time to reach out to veterans. Chris understands the challenges 
that await current veterans as they transition from the military into 
civilian life. He is the chairman of the new Portland Veterans Network, 
a Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce program. The network offers 
free career assistance to veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and 
Operation Enduring Freedom, including mentoring, wellness services, 
resume writing and interview skills training, and chamber membership. 
At its heart, the program consists of pairing 50 Portland-area veterans 
with business leaders who will act as mentors, introducing the veterans 
at networking events and guiding them in their job search.
  I applaud Chris and Jen Tyll for demonstrating the leadership and 
can-do attitude that are truly a reflection of the talent and 
entrepreneurial spirit found in my home State of Maine. As we pay 
tribute to our servicemembers on Veterans Day, I offer my gratitude and 
congratulations to our Nation's veteran-owned small businesses and 
extend my best wishes to Chris, Jen, and Pat's Pizza Old Port for their 
continued growth and success.

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