2009 NVCC Board of Trustees Merit Award Honors Ronald Picard, Sr.

Waterbury, Conn. - Waterbury native, Ronald Picard, Sr., will be awarded with Naugatuck Valley Community College’s 2009 Board of Trustees Merit Award at the commencement ceremony on Thurs., May 28 at 6pm.

While raising his children and working full-time, Picard earned his associates degree in mechanical engineering from Waterbury State Technical College and a business degree from Post College. Upon completing his bachelor’s degree in 1988, he co-founded Franklin Products, a Torrington-based aerospace seat cushion manufacturing company.

Over the past 20 years, Franklin Products has grown to become the largest global supplier of airplane seat cushions with operations in Connecticut, Texas, Mexico, England and Northern Ireland. In addition to developing his business, Mr. Picard has nurtured young student athletes as a girls’ basketball coach at Sts. Peter and Paul Elementary School and Woodland High School. He is currently the proud Head Coach of the fledgling Oxford High School girls’ basketball team.

Picard is a major contributor to the NVCC Capital Campaign for Technology Hall and a member of the NVCC Foundation Board. His son, Ronald Picard, Jr., is an instructor of English at the College.

Picard’s commitment to education has led him to establish scholarships for high school and college students as well as tuition reimbursement for students attending local parochial schools and Naugatuck Valley Community College.