New York—A pair of high-school seniors, along with a distinguished member of the local commercial floor covering installation community, were recognized here earlier this month during the 40th Annual Francis J.P. McHale Scholarship Awards, an event sponsored by the Greater New York Floor Coverers Association. The scholarship program is named in the memory of Francis J.P. McHale, a business agent and president of Local 2287 who was elevated to become secretary-treasurer of the New York City District Council back in the ’80s.
The two scholarship awards were presented to Michael Drago and Noah Gannon, high-school seniors. In addition to the graduating students, an individual from the management side is designated as co-honoree, in recognition of his/her commitment to the commercial floor covering industry. Stephen Poniatowski of Re:Source New Jersey was named this year’s co-honoree.
David Meberg, who serves as both trustee-chairman of the Greater New York Floor Coverers Industry Promotional Fund and president and CEO of Consolidated Flooring, presided over the ceremonies. “I can’t believe this is the 40th presentation of the Greater New York Floor Coverers Scholarship Award and the Francis J.P. McHale Scholarship Award,” he told attendees. “There are times in your life where you really start feeling old, and this is one of them.”
Meberg, who had just graduated college when the first Francis J.P. McHale Scholarship was awarded to his grandfather in 1985, remembered the inaugural event quite well. “It was held at the New York Helmsley Hotel, which is the Westin now. It was the first event that I ever attended in a business capacity.”
Since that time, according to Meberg, the fund has awarded more than $1.4 million in scholarships to 109 students. “This is all made possible by our partnership with the New York District Council of Carpenters and Local 2287,” he said.
Drago, whose father is affiliated with the New York District Council of Carpenters, is a senior at Miller Place High School on Long Island, N.Y. While at school, he was a member of the Service Club, Foreign Language Honor Society and the National Honor Society. He has also been a varsity tennis player since his freshman year, as well as the lead trumpet player in the jazz ensemble. Drago plans on attending Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., majoring in professional flight technology.
“Thank you to the board of trustees of the Floor Coverers Association for providing me with this opportunity,” Drago told attendees. “And thank you to all the people at Consolidated Flooring who have provided my father and me with this opportunity. I’m currently pursuing my pilot’s license, and my goal is to become a commercial pilot. Anyone who knows anything about aviation knows it’s not a cheap passion. That’s why I’m so grateful for this opportunity to help fund my dreams and cover my flight costs. Thank you.”
Gannon, who was selected through the Greater New York Floor Coverers program, currently attends Pennsbury High School in Bucks County, Pa. He serves as captain of the speech and debate teams and as a board member for the Pennsbury Chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America and the Distributive Education Clubs of America. He is also very involved in his school’s art program and has had numerous pieces displayed in the district show as well as other regional shows. In addition, he’s a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. In the fall, Gannon plans to attend the University of Pittsburgh as a member of the Frederick’s Honors College, where he plans to major in the field of psychology.
“First off, I would like to thank the trustees of the Greater New York Floor Coverers Promotional Fund for this generous scholarship and the opportunity it gives me,” Gannon said. “I would also like to recognize the partnership between the union and contractors like Sherland & Farrington that has provided my father, Jonathan Gannon, with a good job throughout my childhood which has provided a great life for my family. My success academically—as well as in life in general—has been supported by this partnership and has led me to this opportunity I’ve been given today. Lastly, I would like to thank my parents who have supported me endlessly in my academics and have set an example of what hard work truly means.”
Anthony Lewis, executive delegate of Local 2287—the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America—offered a note of congratulations and encouraging words for the recipients. “It’s an honor to stand here before you today to celebrate the achievements of Michael and Noah, our scholarship recipients,” he said. “Your hard work, perseverance and dedication have brought you to this moment. This award is not just a recognition of your past efforts, but a vote of confidence in your future potential. Remember, the scholarship is more than financial support; it’s a belief in your dreams, your goals and your ability to make a difference. We are all proud of what you’ve both accomplished so far, and we can’t wait to see what you achieve next. Keep striving for excellence.”
Poniatowski’s path
Primarily known for his work with Re:Source New Jersey, Poniatowski—this year’s co-honoree—actually served in the U.S. Navy, specializing in communications and radar equipment. He was then assigned to an aircraft carrier, the U.S. Independence, where he spent nearly four years as a senior technician. He finished his military career with an additional 16 years in the Navy Reserves.
Following his time in the military, Poniatowski spent 12 years in the plastic injection and die casting/mold industry, serving in various capacities, including engineering. In 2002, he made a career transition to Re:Source New Jersey (which was owned by Interface), bringing along with him the skills acquired in business and customer service to his new role as a commercial flooring salesman. More recently, Poniatowski became a partner and president of Re:Source New Jersey. In addition, he sits on the Vendor Partnership Committee for Starnet, and he has also served on the board of INSTALL for the past five years.
“Steve has proven throughout his career that opportunities do not happen by chance—success requires constant hard work, a positive attitude and some breaks along the way,” Meberg stated. “One of the highlights of his early career was closing the new Goldman Sachs corporate headquarters in New Jersey. Since then he has continued to work hard and excel in his new career with many award-winning and successful projects, including the Prudential Center in New Jersey, MetLife Stadium and many high-rise multifamily projects throughout the Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York City markets. In fact, over the past 23 years, Steve sold and successfully managed more than 2,500 projects totaling over $174 million in sales. That’s a great accomplishment.”
In accepting the co-honoree award, Poniatowski thanked the Greater New York Floor Coverers Association as well as those who helped him on his lucrative career path.
“It’s always nice to be recognized in front of your peers and the friends you’ve made over the years through the association,” Poniatowski said. “This is truly an honor. But today’s really not about me; it’s really about the scholarship recipients, Michael and Noah. Congratulations to you guys.”
Poniatowski, reflecting on life lessons learned during his career in the military, aimed to impart essential words of wisdom to the scholarship winners. Specifically, he cited the attributes acquired in military service—i.e., attention to detail, staying focused and disciplined, working under pressure, establishing a routine and structure—that can be applied to college and, later on, a professional career.
“It’s not about teaching you how to make your bed,” he quipped. “It’s about all these other principles they’re trying to instill in you—team building, responsibility and taking that throughout your day and carrying those same processes through so you have a successful day, a successful career, whatever your goals are. Work hard, put in the time and enjoy yourselves. College is about learning how to talk to people, making friends and taking that with you when you get out of college to your business life. And once you get into business, you don’t necessarily have to be the smartest guy in the room. But what you can do is be the hardest working guy in the room—you can control that.”
