Trustee spotlight: Michael A. Simons.

• Position: Company overview

"Serious protection" is the tagline on the email from Michael A. Simons. Simons is the chief financial officer of Boston-based Blauer Manufacturing Co. Blauer was established in 1936 by Louis Blauer, and quickly became a leading supplier of performance apparel to the U.S. military. Today, Blauer is a leader in developing and manufacturing high-performance, protective uniform apparel for law enforcement and public-safety professionals.

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Being in this niche market, Blauer has not been hurt as much as other companies during the current economic downturn. "While everyone feels some pain these days, we don't boom or bust as much as other companies do," says Simons.

Simons has a long, active history with FEI. He joined the Boston Chapter in August 1992, and has been active ever since. Over the years, he took on progressively more responsibility, becoming chapter president in 2006. In 2007, Simons joined the FERF Board of Trustees and was recently asked to chair FERF's Development Committee.

This level of activity requires the support of his company, for which Simons is grateful. "A lot of companies our size wouldn't do much more than pay for my membership," he explains. "I find that companies that support the professional development of their employees gain visibility and a lot of other intangibles."

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The current president of Blauer, Michael Blauer, is the grandson of Louis Blauer. The company strongly supports Simons' commitment to FEI.

Says Blauer: "Mike's participation in FEI keeps Blauer in close contact with professionals in the financial industry."

"Mike has resources to call upon for advice or to simply compare notes...