MARBLEHEAD, MA (November 13, 2017) – The Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC) is pleased to announce two new additions to its Board of Directors, the election of a new Chairman of the Board and the elevation of the founding Chairman to the position of Chairman Emeritus.
The newly elected Directors of the WPRC are Dr. Scott Hartley of BAE Systems and Mr. Bruce LaFlam of Milliken and Company. At the WPRC’s annual Board Meeting held in October, Mr. Frank Montie of Brookwood Companies was elected to serve as the next WPRC Chairman of the Board. Founding Chairman Mr. Luke Hillier will be stepping up to Chairman Emeritus of the association.
Regarding these recent changes to the Board, WPRC Executive Director David Costello said, “The PPE and OCIE industry is quite fortunate to have business leaders who selflessly step forward to lend their expertise and experience to the WPRC’s industry efforts. This leadership has been exemplified by founding Chairman Luke Hillier, who in 2009 had the vision of bringing a disconnected industry together to work towards ensuring that the U.S. armed services has a robust industrial base to support their future needs. The WPRC has tremendous momentum and our association will continue to benefit from his role as Chairman Emeritus. I look forward to working with our new Chairman of the Board Frank Montie, our Directors and members to continue to advance our industry’s advocacy programs.”
This year the WPRC has led efforts to expand domestic sourcing requirements to the Department of Homeland Security, worked to protect the Berry Amendment, promoted the use of Best Value contracting methodologies for the PPE/OCIE industry and supported additional funding for the Soldier Enhancement Program (SEP) and the Rapid Equipping Force (REF).
As the WPRC expands its efforts, innovative companies have continued to join the association. Recently, Blue Force Gear, Brittany Global Technologies, DRIFIRE, INVISIO Communications, Mystery Ranch, SERKET USA, Source One Tactical, and Tencate Advanced Armor have joined with over 40 other companies to add their voice to the advocacy efforts of the WPRC. The added impact of these industry leaders is critical to advancing the WPRC mission to support the equipment and advanced clothing needs of the Armed Services and Department of Homeland Security.
Blue Force Gear – Blue Force Gear designs weapon slings and leads the lightweight equipment revolution with its Ten-Speed® multi-use pouches. Unrivaled innovation and attention to detail set Blue Force Gear apart from others in the tactical equipment industry. www.blueforcegear.com
Brittany Global Technologies– Established in 1939, Brittany is a leading manufacturer of specialty fabrics and technology solutions with a focus on advanced textiles for the U.S. armed services. www.brittanyusa.com
DRIFIRE – is the premier provider and developer of high performance flame resistant (FR) fabrics and protective apparel to the government, industrial, racing and consumer markets. DRIFIRE, makes flame-resistant apparel for every branch of the U.S. military as well as the oil and gas, chemical, and electric utilities industries. www.drifire.com
INVISIO – is a global market leader within advanced communication and hearing protection systems. The company develops and sells advanced systems that enable professionals in noisy and mission critical environments to communicate and work effectively, while protecting their hearing. www.invisio.com
Mystery Ranch – is committed to building the finest load carriage equipment in the world. A product-driven company from the beginning, MYSTERY RANCH designs packs for the job that needs to get done, for the people committed to doing it, with the best materials available and the most durable construction methods that exist. www.mysteryranch.com
SERKET – designs and manufactures technical apparel solutions for those who protect and serve in the Armed Forces and Federal Law Enforcement. The company’s mission is taking a cerebral approach to improving comfort and performance of uniform systems by embracing emerging technologies. www.serketusa.com
Source One Tactical – is a company with a mission to solve critical problems facing those in perilous environments. Using advanced innovation, the company partners with technology leaders to enhance operational effectiveness. www.sourceonetactical.com
Tencate Advanced Armor – is a major provider of personal protection solutions for police departments, federal agencies, and large multi-year government programs. The company provides a diverse portfolio of stand-alone (SA) and in-conjunction (IC) plates with special capabilities to meet the needs of those in harm’s way. www.tencateadvancedarmor.com
The WPRC is the unified voice of advocacy for the individual and unit level equipment needs of the warfighter and peacekeeper. The leading tactical equipment, apparel, materials, and technology companies of the WPRC are committed to ensuring that American service members and Homeland Security personnel are provided with superior products built by a robust industrial base, now and in the future. For a complete listing of WPRC member companies, please visit www.warriorprotection.net.