Navazio hosts Flag Dedication Ceremony

David Navazio, a MCMAC board member and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst honorary commander, held a Flag Day ceremony at his company headquarters in Pennsylvania on June 14. 

Navazio recently installed a flag pole on the property and asked officials from JB MDL to help dedicate the flag. Navy, Air Force and Salvation Army officers spoke at the event, while an active-duty Air Force Honor Guard from the base, along with a local Veteran Color Guard, presented and displayed the flag.  One of the speakers was Matthew T. Ratcliffe, Lt Col, USAF, Commander, 305th Maintenance Squadron at JB MDL.

Navazio is the president and CEO of Gentell, a wound care company based in Bristol, Pa. He is also the owner of a new restaurant, LUCCA, at the site of his former restaurant, Mastoris Diner, in Bordentown. A barbecue for all guests followed the ceremony.

"David's act of patriotism should be applauded," Bill Cleave, vice chairman of MCMAC and honorary commander at JB MDL, said. "Erecting a flagpole and holding a ceremony to dedicate our nation's flag shows how deeply David's recent involvement in the Honorary Commander Program at the base has affected him."

Navazio agreed that the base's civic leadership program has enhanced his patriotism.  

In December, Navazio and his daughter, Emily, spearheaded MCMAC's first-ever toy drive to benefit The Attic, a store on base that provides free holiday toys for children with parents of military ranks E4 and below.  

 During the ceremony Navazio presented a $5,000 donation to KB Foundation, a Norristown, Pa.-based organization that helps inner city youth have opportunities to learn outside their local school system.  Navazio presented a cermonial check to Kirklyn “Kirk” Berry, the founder of KB Foundation, and Justin Fishman, vice president of operations and programming for the nonprofit, during the ceremony. Fishman, who appeared in uniform, is a Navy veteran and a leiutenant in the Navy Reserves.